Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery
by perverted-squirrel
Summary: Hermione Granger was perfectly content with her normal life. But all of this soon takes a turn for the worst when a mysterious new student shows up on her doorstep claiming to be a wizard and her fiance. BASED ON JESSICA'S GUIDE TO DATING ON THE DARK SIDE
1. Prelude

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Prelude**

"_This is what I brought you, this you can keep.  
This is what I brought, you may forget me.  
I promise to depart, just promise one thing.  
Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep."  
_-AFI (Prelude 12/21)

"They're almost here, James!"

"I know, I know, just give me a second."

"But James, they're no more than a mile away!"

"_Shut up and _g_ive me a second!_" He growled, getting fed up with the younger, more excitable Auror.

His quick snap seemed to do the trick as the Auror—whose name he couldn't quite remember—shot him a frenzied look before he sprinted off in the other direction, his cloak flying off him in the process. James couldn't really blame the young lad, though. This kind of situation was enough to make anyone a bit antsy.

He was in the middle of a deserted hallway smack dab in the middle of his home in Godric's Hollow, the second, unofficial headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix, an organization dedicated to the fight against the rising Dark Lord who called himself Voldemort. The Order was formed a few years back when Voldemort was no more than a whispered name by Albus Dumbledore, James's old Headmaster from his years at Hogwarts. He had joined a month after graduating with his then-girlfriend, Lily Evans. They were considered both the most influential and the most secretive organization in Britain. It was said that each known member of the Order was on the Death Eater's Most Wanted List with a hefty price per head. Dead, _not_ alive. In James' mind, that was considered a compliment. But it was nights like these that made him worry about his name being scratched off that list permanently.

"James?"

This time the voice was softer, one he could recognize from a mile away. He turned around to see his now-wife and the first half of his world, Lily Evans-Potter, standing a yard away from him carrying what seemed to be a bundle of blankets over her shoulder, a wide-eyed expression gracing her pale features.

He gave her a sad smile and held out an arm in her direction, beckoning her to come closer. She obliged, albeit weakly.

Lily pressed her body firmly against his, angling the bundle so it wouldn't be crushed. James enveloped her in a brief, loving embrace and slowly pulled back. He left a gentle arm around her waist, holding her close to him, as he angled his chin down to look into the bundle of soft cloth his wife was carrying. He parted the folds of the blankets to reveal a tuft of ebony black hair identical to his own. Upon further prodding, a face poked out of the bundle, emerald eyes, so like his wife's eyes, wide awake and peering around curiously at the ruckus around them. James pressed a featherlight kiss on his son's forehead right where his hair parted.

Harry James Potter, his son and the other half of his world.

"James, I'm scared." Lily's voice whimpered from against him.

He looked back over to her and saw her bright green eyes glistening with tears. The sight broke his heart. Lily was usually so strong, but ever since Dumbledore informed them of the prophesy that was very likely written about Harry, she had lost her edge and dedicated all of her time to protecting Harry, never letting him leave her sight, choosing to stay home on many of the Order missions and bringing him to meetings whenever they happened to be at Gimmauld Place.

_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … The Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … Either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives ... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."_

"Oh, Lily." He whispered as he hugged her closer to him, once again being mindful of their son in her arms. Harry was only a year old and yet he had this horrible burden on his shoulders. James only hoped they would be there to help him through it. But if tonight ended up anywhere near how he was picturing it, that hope may dwindle very quickly.

Lily sniffed as she buried her head into James's chest, trying her best to contain her tears for Harry's sake. He was a very insightful young lad and was keen on her and James's emotions. She didn't want him to blow up the house before the Death Eaters arrived.

"Why didn't you go with Padfoot?" James asked quietly, though he knew they were very much alone.

She glared up at him. "You know very well why."

"Lily—"

"No! I'm not going without you."

He shook his head, knowing very well he couldn't argue with her on this. "You're getting even more stubborn with age."

"Are you calling me old, James Potter?"

He pursed his lips. "Well… if you want to put it _that_ way."

Her fist collided with his upper chest and he flinched. He knew she had held back for Harry's sake, but that didn't make it hurt any less. "Lily! Not in front of Harry!"

"Don't use Harry to cover up your incompetence. You never call a woman old unless you want to get hurt."

"You never tell a woman _anything_ unless you want to get hurt." He mumbled.

She punched him once again in the exact same spot. How she could do that he would never know, but thanks to his lip, he had a brand new bruise. Way to go, Potter.

The playful atmosphere quickly changed as they heard an explosion outside. _They_ were here. James and Lily's eyes connected simultaneously and then drifted down to the bundle in-between them. Harry had somehow managed to wiggle his pudgy arm out of the confines of the blankets and was sucking his thumb, something he only did when he was nervous. It was something, they figured, that he did to keep from crying. Or that's what the baby books said, anyway.

"Oh Merlin, what are we going to _do_?" Lily moaned.

"We'll find Padfoot. Last I saw him, he was helping apparate people to Grimmauld place. He's taking groups of ten and—"

"Perfect! But we'll have to do it quick, because if that explosion is any indication, the Death Eaters will ge—"

"James! Lily! Thank _God_! EDWARD, _OVER HERE_! IT'S JAMES AND LILY!"

At the far end of the hall, a petite woman no more than five and a half feet tall was shouting to her husband. She had mousy brown hair tied back in a loose bun, strands falling down every which way. She looked to be very out of breath, if the pink bundle in her arms moving up and down was any indication. She began moving quickly towards James and Lily, looking around nervously as if something was going to pop out of the walls. Her husband, Edward, suddenly came flying from seemingly out of nowhere and took his place at his wife's side. The couple reached them looking as if they had run a marathon.

The couple was Jane and Edward Granger, Muggle dentists from inner London. They had come across the Order in one of the first Death Eater raids to take place in London. Lily had found them underneath a stray telephone booth and took it upon herself to nurse them back to health at her station in St. Mungo's. When they came to, Jane claimed to have seen everything while her husband pleaded with her to leave it be, that it was crazy nonsense and that there was no such thing as magic and spells. You know, the _normal_ Muggle reaction. It was custom to _Obliviate_ the victim's memories after healing them, but Lily couldn't find the heart to do it herself, so she took the couple to Dumbledore. Whilst in his office, he asked them all sorts of odd questions about their jobs as dentists.

"And you simply _fill_ the hole with liquid metal?" He had asked, "Oh, that is simply _fascinating_!"

After conversing for the better part of an hour, with Lily bored out of her mind, the conversation turned back to what had happened in London and what Jane had claimed to see. Just to make sure she was telling the truth, Dumbledore offered her tea laced with Veritaserum and it turned out she was speaking the truth.

Dumbledore then did something Lily never expected. He inducted them into the Order of the Phoenix. He said that he had been looking for Muggle correspondents for years and thought that if he was going to have some, he may as well have dental coverage as well. But just to make sure they wouldn't reveal anything to anyone other than members of the Order, he made them agree to an Unbreakable Vow with Lily as the caster. She had had her doubts at first, but after they began attending the meetings, she became fonder of the couple and introduced them to James a few weeks later. Now, they trusted each other with their lives.

"Jane! Edward! What are you still doing here?" Lily scorned.

"Hermione had to… well, we had a bit of an emergency so we left the line to apparate to Grimmauld Place for a bit and when we came back no one was there!"

Jane and Edward also had a child. A daughter named Hermione who was close in age to Harry, give or take a few months.

"What?" James asked, "Are you certain?"

"Positive."

"I told her they'd be back in a few minutes to look for us, but she just wouldn't listen and took off, running all around the house looking for someone." Edward began to explain. "James, have I ever told you how _huge_ your house is? You should think to invest in a cottage one of these days. Just off the coast, barely enough room to fit you, Lily, and Harry. It would be an investment."

James found it in his heavily pounding heart to chuckle. "You're one to talk, Mister 'Three stories isn't too much, it's _just enough_!'"

Edward shrugged nonchalantly. "I need somewhere to put my books."

"Boys!" Jane shouted. Both James and Edward's heads snapped over to the voice and she continued. "Are we going to try to get out of here or what? We have two people who can apparate so let's vamoose!"

"Jane is right." Lily said. "We need to get out of here before the Death Eater's burn it down."

James nodded. "Right. Edward, you-"

"What are you guys still doing in here? Are you aware that there's going to be an ambush in ten minutes!" Croaked the voice of Remus Lupin, interrupting from the end of the hall. There was another explosion from outside, this one causing the house to shake. Lily and Jane held tight to their children as the movement passed, the arms of their husbands steadying them.

After the house was still, Remus spoke up again. "Make that five minutes."

"We were about to apparate out of here." James hurried to explain. "Harry and Hermione need to be clear of this place before the Death Eaters get through the wards."

Remus nodded. "Agreed. But I'm only here to relay a message from Dumbledore. After you didn't show up at Grimmauld, he sent me here at once to look for you."

"Well go on." Jane prodded.

Remus nodded again, jogging the distance between them. He looked around as he reached them and his eyes came across a spare room just off to their right. He jerked his head in its direction and led the group into a spare study that was rarely used. In all truth, James had only put it in the house because he wanted to impress Lily, to show her that he was going to be serious about his job. In his defense, he was very serious about the field aspects, just not the paperwork. Gods, how he hated the paperwork.

Remus ushered them in quickly and shut the door behind them, locking it for safety measures. It was mostly a habit by now since you didn't know who you could trust and who was on what side.

"Remus…" Lily drawled warily, observing his creased features and the way his wand shook when he placed it back in his pocket. "What's going on?"

He turned back to face the two families, each with a different form of worry etched on their faces. He debated whether or not he should even tell them, but reminded himself that it was Dumbledore's orders that they _must_ know under any circumstances. He took a deep intake of air and brushed some of his sandy brown hair from out of his eyes. He chose to focus first on James, knowing that it would be easier to direct the message to him first.

"The Order is in shambles. Two-thirds of the guard posted outside was killed, with the others being wounded or missing. The lucky ones escaped inside with those who were already here for the meeting."

"Fucking Voldermort." James cursed. "He's a coward for sneaking up on us when we were most vulnerable."

"James, language." Lily chastised, gently rocking Harry back and forth in her arms. "Go on, Remus."

"Out of the eighty confirmed members who were here tonight, only twenty-three are accounted for, not including you."

"_What?_" Edward whispered harshly. "How did we get that many casualties, there weren't that many outside. A quarter, at least."

Remus shook his head, looking down at the floor. "It seems…" He began, trying to gather up the will to say it. As he lifted his head to look back at James, his eyes were drawn to the second head of ebony hair in Lily's arms. He knew he had to do this for Harry's sake. Sweet, innocent Harry.

"We have a traitor in our midst. Peter Pettigrew."

Lily gasped as James' face began to turn a dangerous shade of scarlet.

"I—I'm sorry. Who's Peter Pettigrew?" Jane asked carefully.

"He was our friend. And he betrayed us." James said through clenched teeth. "HE WAS OUR FRIEND!"

Lily made no move to scold James this time, as it was clear she was also very upset by this news. She did, however, move closer to James so her hip bumped his. Their bodies colliding seemed to ease him slightly and the color began to fade from his face as he placed an arm around Lily, silently thanking her.

"He was a rat." Remus continued. "No pun intended. We should have known one of our own was working for them. There were just too many coincidences to be considered pure luck. Whenever we would go trail them, there they would be, waiting for us. All the right hints, all the right moves; it was all too good to be true."

"It's not our fault, Moony." James said solemnly. "It was his. He did it out of his own accord."

"Do we know what happened to him?" Jane asked.

"I'm afraid not. No one reported seeing him after he opened up the passage."

"The bookcase?" Lily asked.

"Yes."

"The _fucker_." James hissed.

Remus knew time was too precious to allow silence, so he pressed on. "There's more. Dumbledore told me that without a strong following, the Order will be no more."

"We can still fight with thirty!" Edward protested.

"Twenty-seven." Jane corrected.

Edward didn't seem to mind that his wife had corrected him. His face remained determined. "I'm sure we could recruit some more people if we just had time."

"My thought exactly." Remus agreed. "Unfortunately, Dumbledore placed a spell on the Order without informing anyone. I don't recall the exact spell, something _nunsolus…_"

"_Sempercieo Nunsolus_!" Lily asked fervently.

"That's it." Remus confirmed, smiling slightly at the fact that through all of this disaster, Lily was still as articulate as ever.

"What does it mean, Lily?" Jane asked.

"It's an ancient spell that protects something, usually a group of items in a vault. As long as the items are together, the spell provides protection, though it was never clear what kind. Dumbledore must have cast it on the Order."

"So we won't have magical protection anymore." Edward said. "So what? We have a fantastic group of witches and wizards who don't need any spell to help them succeed."

"You took the words right out of my mouth, yet again." Remus said, though he didn't seem particularly happy about it.

"I'm sensing a 'but'." James said.

"_But_ the spell has repercussions." Lily saved Remus from delivering the bad news, for which he was thankful. The Peter betrayal was hard enough. "If more than half of whatever is being protected is destroyed—or in this case killed—the spell turns into a curse that prevents the items from being within two miles of each other. It's great if you wanted to hide the items away, but horrible if you cast it on people."

Edward looked around for a moment, seemingly observing his surroundings. Before he could draw too much attention to himself, he declared, "But we're all here. We're not being flung two miles apart from each other."

James looked to Remus, who gave him a sad look, knowing that Lily would keep answering for him.

"Since the spell wasn't made for human use, it must have different effects. Did Dumbledore say what they were, Remus?"

"Not in so many words. He only said that the Order would cease to be until another union is formed. He said he was in the process of researching a counter curse or something to reverse the effects, but so far there's nothing."

"It must prevent us from fighting together or something." Jane said, her brow furrowed in thought. All eyes turned to her. "If the spell is cast on objects in a vault, those items are bound to be together or not at all. Depending on the object, it would seem fitting that the curse prevent the objects from being where they are supposed to be."

"Or doing what they are supposed to be doing." James finished with realization.

Edward nodded. "It makes sense."

Lily smiled at Jane. "Well done."

Jane blushed, adjusting Hermione in her arms so she was being cradled much like Harry in Lily's care.

"So Dumbledore must be looking for a curse that brings things together that will surpass all others—a spell that will bond anything and cancel out any other spell or curse on it." Edward said.

"But why would Dumbledore want us to know this?" James asked Remus. "I mean, I understand the… the Peter thing. But what significance does you telling us have, if any at all?"

Remus shrugged. "Dunno. I was just as confused as you were, but he seemed urgent."

There was a brief silence, the only sound being small thuds of spells rebounding off of the wards outside.

"Here's the way I see it," Remus said. "Dumbledore always has a reason for the things he does. _Always_. Every word he speaks, every move he makes, they mean something. Him instructing me to tell you all about the curse must be something—" His hand paused in midair as Lily's voice perked up.

"You just gestured to all of us."

"Yes, I did."

"I thought you were told to inform me and James."

"About Peter, yes, but he told me to find you, James, Jane, and Edward. Thank Merlin you were all in the same place or else I would have never found you!"

"So Dumbledore wanted you to tell _all_ of us about the spell." Jane repeated.

"Yes."

"Then that means…"

"We must be able to do something about it!" Lily finished.

Both women looked at each other excitedly, as if they had just solved world peace which, in their minds, they were very close to doing. All they had to figure out was _why_.

"We must have a certain quality that no one else has." James said.

"Yes, but what? We're all excellent fighters." Remus pointed out.

"Lily, you're a Healer! You're the only one in the Order who's a Healer! Are there any potions or droughts that can reverse curses like this one?" Jane asked hurriedly.

Lily thought hard for a few moments, digging through her vast amounts of Healer knowledge from training and in the field. There must be some potion she had used or read about…

"No." She sighed. "There isn't a potion ever concocted that's strong enough to reverse a spell like _Sempercieo Nunsolus._ Small jinxes and minor curses, yes, but nothing that extreme."

The group let out a sigh and continued to ponder, each rummaging through memories of books, experience, and teachings past. James cursed himself for not paying more attention while copying Remus's Defense Against the Dark Arts coursework. Jane and Edward, on the other hand, knew they could be of little help magic-wise, only reading about a handful of books a piece. Since Dumbledore had inducted them into the Order, they demanded (or rather Jane demanded) to be educated on the different types of magic so that they could be of more help. Dumbledore agreed on the condition that they learn each branch at a time, starting with the basics and working their way up slowly, so as to not get a brain ulcer.

Jane dug deep within those texts. She had read each book five times, title to index. There had to be something in there that they could use. A starter spell to branch off of, perhaps? The simplest answer was usually the right one. Now, which spells had to do with bonding…?

She looked around the room for something, a trigger object that could help. But it was useless; there was nothing in this room that could help them keep the Order alive. Her eyes drifted to Hermione in her arms, silently apologizing to her for not being a better mother. One look in her chocolate brown orbs and the bond between mother and daughter rose. She was about to hug her closely to her chest when her eyes drifted to Lily's son. He was looking in their direction, his eyes curious and thumb in his mouth.

And then it hit her.

"I've got it!" she exclaimed, causing everyone in the room to jump at the sudden outburst of volume.

"What is it, dear?" Edward asked.

"A marriage bond!" Jane said excitedly.

Her husband gave her an odd glance. "But we're already married. I suppose we could renew our vows, but—"

"No, that wouldn't work." James said. "A marriage bond is only valid once per couple. But I see where Jane is getting at. It's arguably the most powerful bond out there."

Edward crossed his arms about his chest. "Then what can we do to use it? If we can't renew our vows, could we get a divorce and then—"

"No, it doesn't work like that." Lily said, "A marriage bond unites two people body and soul. You can't just rip it away and put it back together, it would make you insane."

"Jane and I weren't married under magic, though."

"That doesn't mean you still don't have the bond." Lily pointed out. "Remember how Dumbledore told you magic is in everyday life? Marriage is one of the most magical things out there in the Wizarding and Muggle worlds. It doesn't matter if your curator had magical lineage or not. The vows and ceremony have been bonding people together for centuries."

"What if someone gets married multiple times, then?" Edward asked. "Could they have multiple bonds with different people?"

"Once a bond is formed, it doesn't go away unless you will it so. If one chooses to get a divorce, you are ripping apart that bond, and therefore part of your soul. It heals over time, maybe a month or so as to not harm the vessel. Since wizards get married under a true magical ceremony, they feel that effect more fully than Muggles, whose magic is only in their words. The bonds are just as strong, but the proper methods are different. It's probably why Wizarding marriages last longer."

"But what if—"

"Oh Edward, would you _shut up_?" Jane shouted. "I wasn't even talking about any of us. If you would have read the text Dumbledore gave us more carefully, you would have known all of this already!"

Edward bowed his head in defeat while his wife pressed on. "Anyway, the newer the bond, the stronger the bond, so since we've all been married for a while it wouldn't be strong enough. Engagement itself is stronger in some cases. A promise."

"She's right." Lily confirmed. "When someone is married or promised to another, the magic remains fresher the newer it is."

"Well that's all good and well, but how would a marriage help us?" Edward asked.

"_Oh my God_, Edward." Jane groaned.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"A marriage bond not only affects the couple, but their families as well. It brings them all closer together. It mentally affects them so that they are one—a very old concept that most people forget about. If you tweak the incantation just right, you can bond anyone and everyone the family is affiliated with." Jane's eyes flickered to her daughter. "I know it's morally wrong, but the Order is the only chance we have of winning this war."

"Jane… what are you saying?" Edward asked worriedly.

She turned to her husband and began to shuffle her feet to stand by Lily. She then switched the shoulder on which Hermione was laying so that she and the also resting Harry were shoulder-to-shoulder.

"She's saying that we need to make a bond between Harry and Hermione." James explained, finally coming to the same conclusion as the women.

"Are you serious?" Edward shouted.

"No we're really joking, because that's what people do when the house they are still standing in is being attacked and possibly destroyed within the next few minutes!" Jane snapped.

Edward's shoulders sagged and after a moment of pause, he spoke. "You're right of course, as usual. But I'm not entirely happy about forcing my daughter into engagement at one year old. Call me crazy."

Jane sighed. "I know what you mean, Edward. But we need to do what's best for the Order _and _for Harry and Hermione. Without this bond, we will all perish and they will never get the chance to grow up and see the world."

"She's right." James agreed. "I don't want to marry off my son, either, but if we don't, we're all dead. And besides, I'd rather it be Hermione than anyone else."

Edward nodded. "Will they ever get a chance to reverse the bond?"

Remus chose this time to speak up, knowing that they were well out of time. "Yes, when they are older. With our luck, we'll rid them of it before they know the difference. Now, please, we must hurry."

"So what do we do? Get Harry to ask Hermione to marry him?" Edward asked.

James snorted and Lily shot him a warning look. He immediately sobered and cleared his throat. "Err… no. While giving a ring and verbal proposal from one to the other is how it is done today, long ago you had to have someone close to you, namely a parent or friend, cast a spell to make the bond more 'official'. It was very popular among the upper class and Purebloods who were known to have many arranged marriages to keep their blood clean." He scoffed in disgust before continuing. "Once it was discovered that Muggles were proposing the way we know now while reaping similar benefits, the tradition was discarded."

"What about rings?"

"Just a symbol, nothing more."

"Ah." Edward said quietly.

"I'll be the curator since I'm the only one that _knows_ the spell." Remus said proudly, walking closer to the group and gesturing for Edward to come closer to them.

"Smartass." James muttered jokingly. In retrospect, he couldn't have been more thrilled to have such a knowledgeable friend, and they both knew it.

Remus smirked at his old friend. "Lily, Jane, please stand parallel with James and Edward on your right." They followed his instructions quickly, but just as Remus was about to continue, another explosion louder than the last erupted and shook the house violently. The group held on tight as they kept their balance for the few seconds it took for the movement to subside. After it did, they all knew they didn't have a moment to waste.

"Lily Marie Evans-Potter and James Harold Potter, do you willingly bless the union of your son, Harry James Potter to Hermione Jane Granger, daughter of Jane Samantha Perkins-Granger and Edward Joseph Granger?"

"We do." Lily and James said in unison.

"Jane Samantha Perkins-Granger and Edward Joseph Granger, do you willingly bless the union of your daughter, Hermione Jane Granger to Harry James Potter, son of Lily Marie Evans-Potter and James Harold Potter?"

"We do."

"Please join the couple's hands as I recite the spell." He instructed with a forced calm tone.

Lily and Jane complied and grabbed a hold of their children's hands, interlocking them with each other. They removed their hands after they were sure the grip would hold long enough to recite the spell. Turning to Remus and nodding when it was done, he closed his eyes and recited the spell.

"_Magus Antecedo Connexio_"

Suddenly, a golden light erupted around the two young children's connected forms. All eyes were on them as the light grew brighter, though not bright enough to hurt their eyes. By the slight smile on Remus's face, they all knew it was working. Both Harry and Hermione's expressions were of pure wonder as they observed their surroundings. After a few moments, the spell dimmed down to a slight glow and all eyes were back on Remus, including those of the children.

"I now pronounce you magically bonded for life."

The glow faded completely and a wave of relief swept through the room. As if on cue, Harry and Hermione let go of each other's hands immediately after.

"So is it d—"

_CRASH!_

The door concealing them in the room bust open with an explosion of wood chips flying inside. Lily and Jane turned around quickly, shielding Harry and Hermione with their backs, James and Edward flinging their arms in front of them moments after.

"Kill them," said a high, cold, merciless voice.

**A/N: Please remember to review!**


	2. A Promise

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**A Promise**

"And as the sun died  
I promised that I'd seek you out  
Well now the years have weathered me  
And soon I'll claim you for my arms again"  
- Broken Records (A Promise)

She was on top of me, thrusting her clothed hips against mine, begging me to take her. I smiled gently against her lips at the forward action, but did nothing to persuade her into believing I wouldn't. How could I? I was a man for crying out loud! So I did what any hot-blooded male would do when a dangerously attractive woman was begging for a shag; I went for it. Circling my hands about her waist more firmly, I flipped her over onto her back and was delighted to hear a moan of appreciation make its way out of her mouth. I kissed a path down to her neck and then returned to her lips, plunging my tongue into her already open mouth. Her hands made their way to the hem of my tee-shirt and I helped her pull it off. She took a moment to trail her hands down my chest and wrap her arms around my shoulders, keeping my upper half steady. As if I would actually leave her like this.

Her shirt was next to go. I helped her remove the offending garment, and it joined my shirt on the hardwood floor. After that, it was all about getting our clothes off in the fastest way possible. It wasn't thirty seconds before we reattached, naked and eager to slake our thirst for each other. She straddled my hips and lowered herself onto my erect member, her folds feeling deliciously soft and moist around it. I placed my hand on her hips as she began to move up and down at a slow pace, causing both of us to let out deep groans of pleasure. She quickly changed pace as though we were wasting time. I couldn't have agreed more.

Within minutes—something I'm not quite proud of, but accept nonetheless—I felt a deep wave of pleasure start to build up inside of me. It was clear that my partner felt it as well as she began chanting my name in the way only a female in the deepest throes of pleasure can.

"Harry… Oh, Harry… _Harry_…"

My name sounded so wonderful coming from her lips. It was a wonder why I didn't appreciate it more often.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!"

Oh, right. That was why.

This time, her voice was anything but pleasured. "Ah, shit."

Her body rolled off mine and I groaned at the loss of contact. Goddamn it. I had been _so close_. I glared in the direction of the person who interrupted what was sure to be the best moment of my life. His deep gray eyes held the shine of disappointment as he stared me down.

"Sorry to interrupt." He drawled, not really meaning it.

I rolled my eyes and looked over to the girl at my side. It was only now that I seemed to really take in her appearance. She was pretty, yes, but in a very generic way. She had blonde wavy hair which was in disarray thanks to me. Her skin was slightly tanned, only enough to signify that she spent some time outside.

I had met her at a local pub and invited her to come home with me on the pretense of getting a good snog in before I had to leave for Hogwarts tomorrow morning. Next thing I knew, we were stumbling up the stairs and on my bed, lips attached as though they were glued together. Now, I was always one for a good shag, but this certainly wasn't how I usually went about it. It's funny how it took me until just now to realize this. Maybe Sirius interrupting wasn't such a bad thing.

The tent pitched at my waist begged to differ.

"It's alright, Sirius." I said meekly. "Sarah and I were just about done."

I heard a rustle of sheets from beside me. "It's Savanna."

Shit. "Oh, sorr-"

"No need to apologize. We both know we were looking for a good shag. It's a wonder you remembered the first letter of my name."

She pulled a sheet around her and slid off the bed, looking down at my floor for her clothes. I remained silent as I watched her maneuver around, picking up one article at a time. When she had a decent pile in her arms, she turned back to me and asked, "Where's your bathroom?"

I waved at the door where Sirius was still standing. "Second door on your right."

She nodded and brushed past Sirius on her way out. My eyes followed her out and only when I heard a cough did I turn back to my godfather. He had one eyebrow raised and I knew he was doing his best to contain his laughter.

"Shut up, Padfoot." I mumbled, feeling around for my boxers.

"I wasn't going to say anything." He said.

I found them at the floor of my dresser and padded over to retrieve them, all the while trying my best to contain laughter myself. "That's a load of bollocks and you know it. You can't keep anything bottled up inside for more than two minutes. It's a miracle Moony's secret hasn't gotten out yet."

"Hey, I resent that!" He refuted.

I smirked as I pulled my undergarments up and turned around. "I never said you didn't."

"Well you imp- wait, stop trying to change the change the subject! Merlin, you're just like your father, always trying to talk his way out of trouble."

"He got away with it, didn't he?"

"That's not the point."

"Oh?" I asked, spinning around in search for my trousers.

"Stop it." He said in a warning tone. "Put the rest of your clothes on so we can talk."

I sighed and went about finding the rest of my clothes, which were inconveniently placed all around the perimeter of my room. How me and Savanna pulled that off, I'll never know. All that mattered was I was about to get yet another lecture from my godfather and I was most definitely not looking forward to it.

When I finished tugging my head through my shirt, I walked a few steps backward and sat on my bed, knowing it was going to be one of _those_ chats. You know the ones that are extremely annoying and unnecessary but still require you to make yourself comfortable because you are going to be there for a while.

Sirius joined me on the bed and gave me a one of his patented 'serious' looks. I offered him a meek smile but he only shook his head. "Harry, listen, I know you are a growing boy with needs and—"

"Oh Merlin, I didn't know you were going to actually _do it_ this time!" I interrupted, shocked that for once, he didn't just say "We'll talk about it some other time Harry. There are more important things to be discussed." like he usually did. You see, Sirius was anything but what his name suggested. If you knew him well enough, you would think he was still a sixteen-year-old kid trapped in a thirty-something-year-old body. These talks were always the last thing on his mind.

"Yes, yes, but—"

"I thought we had an agreement never to talk about this stuff."

"It was never verbally said nor was it in writing." He pointed out.

My shoulders sagged. "I guess." There was a moment's pause before I took a deep breath to mentally prepare myself. "Get on with it, then."

He looked over at me then quickly turned away. I could see how physically and mentally uncomfortable he was with this. Almost as much as I was, it seemed. But if he was so uncomfortable about it, why was he choosing now to bring it up? When his gaze drifted back to me, I thought I could see a little bit of something in his eyes, but he looked away again before I could define it.

He continued that routine for a good minute and a half. Our eyes would meet only to have him quickly look away. Finally, he spoke up, but it was not was I was expecting.

"Oh I can't do this! Harry, Dumbledore is downstairs and he asked me to come and get you. I insisted that I tell you, but of course, me and my cowardly self can't go all the way through with it without someone to back me up. I mean, it's a big decision and I really thought that I could tell you, but I guess-"

"Sirius, calm down." I interjected, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What does Dumbledore want you to tell me?"

"I told you, I can't tell you. Oh, I _knew_ I should have let Moony take this over."

"Moony's here?" I asked curiously.

"Yes, he came with Dumbledore. But that's not the point; the point is that you need to talk to Dumbledore. Now."

"Now as in right this second?" I asked haphazardly, although I already knew the answer.

"Yes."

I sighed. With Dumbledore just a few stories down, it meant that something important was happening either with the Order or my own personal demons. The last time he showed up at Grimmauld Place, he'd brought Snape and instructed him to give me Occlumency lessons. I'd spent the better half of that summer locked up with good 'ol Snivellus while he invaded the inner workings of my mind. If you ask me, there were about a billion things I would rather have been doing, but it was 'for my own benefit', so I had no choice but to comply.

So yeah, I was a bit worried about why Dumbledore had shown up this fine evening.

Sirius didn't say anything after that, so I figured I would take the initiative and head downstairs. I certainly wasn't going to get any information out of him without causing him to babble some more. He did end up following me, though, and that only added to my nerves.

I already knew where Dumbledore was the moment I reached the bottom of the stairs. Going through the archway that lead to the kitchen, I saw that I was right. The long table down the middle of the room was vacant except for two figures, one with a long silvery beard, the other with sandy brown hair and tired complexion — Dumbledore and Remus. They were talking in hushed tones, but went abruptly silent when they heard me walk in. Of course.

"Harry." Dumbledore said in that soft tone of his. "Please take a seat."

I nodded and took a seat close to the two of them but far away enough to make a break for it if they were here to corner me into another miserable situation. I had been to meetings like this enough to know the ropes by now.

Sirius took a seat next to me, thankfully on the side that wasn't closer to the door. But just in case, I discretely edged my chair a few inches away. Dumbledore seemed to be the only one that took any notice and sent me an amused look. I caught his eye and immediately bent my head down. The last thing I needed was to be judged right now.

"So did you tell him?" Remus asked Sirius, an odd look on his face.

"Well I started to but…"

"But..." Remus prodded.

"I got sidetracked." He said weakly.

Remus turned to Dumbledore with a half grin, "He got cold feet."

"Hey," yelped with an embarrassed look. "I said no such thing."

"Then I do believe I owe you three galleons Remus." Dumbledore said, not paying attention. Sirius's mouth dropped and I let out a snort. "I'm dreadfully sorry but I seemed to have left my money in my other robe. I will make a note to pay you after this is all over with."

"You - you _bet_ on me?" Sirius had a look of true shock on his face.

"Yep, and made quite a bit of profit as well." Remus replied with an innocent and serene expression.

Sirius gasped and put a hand over his chest. Although this wasn't the first time this happened, he still acted as if it was the end of the world. Talk about a drama king, Sirius was _the_ drama king.

"I still need to know what it is he was _supposed_ to tell me." I said before any bickering could take place.

"Of course." Dumbledore said, the mood of the room quickly changing. "As you know, Harry, Voldermort has gained much power this past year. His following has being gaining new members daily and is quickly becoming a larger threat than we can withstand."

"What are you saying… you want to give up?"

"No, of course not." He replied. "I am doing everything in my power to recruit new members to the Order as quickly as possible, but I'm afraid it's not enough. As you know, the prophesy states that you and Voldermort must—"

"Duke it out and make attempts at one another's lives because _neither can live while the other survives_. Yeah, I know." I said bitterly.

"Now Harry, there's no need to use that tone of voice." Remus said. "This is serious business."

"You think I don't know that?" I asked angrily. "Ever since you told me about that damn prophesy, my life has been a living hell. Training sessions, Occlumency lessons… I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders at all times and when I finally find a moment to act like a regular teenager, I get interrupted to help mend another crack in the system. What did you pull me down this time for, then? Do I need to be educated in another tactic of survival?"

"Harry—"

"Its fine, Remus. I would consider it a problem if he did not feel this way." Dumbledore said softly. He turned back to me and adjusted his half-moon spectacles atop his nose. "I understand that you are heavily burdened, Harry. I ask too much of you and I consider it a miracle that you have not declined any of these lessons and tasks before now. But to answer your inquiry, yes, we do need your assistance once more."

I nodded, knowing full well that Dumbledore was only trying to help. He'd always been there for me and no matter how large the stack of responsibilities became, I always ended up pushing through because no matter how much I hated it, I couldn't let them down; Dumbledore, Remus, Sirius, even my parents. I think it was a special kind of complex that probably had a name and definition written down somewhere but I didn't have the time or patience to find it.

"What's happened and what can I do to help?" I asked.

"It seems that Voldermort has caught wind of some of our inner workings and we need you to intervene so that he does not fully become aware of the situation."

"So he only assumes something and doesn't know it to be true?"

"Precisely." Dumbledore said with a small smile.

I nodded. "Okay, what is it that he's caught wind of, then?"

I assumed that Dumbledore would answer me right away like he always did, but instead he exchanged a weary look with Remus. This alerted me that something was very wrong. It was no longer just an ordinary task they needed me to perform; it was something bigger than that, and right before school, too. What a way to start off my seventh year, eh?

"Harry," Remus began, drawing my attention from my Headmaster and part-time mentor. "Sixteen years ago your parents made a decision concerning the well-being of the Order just two months shy of their death. In late August, Godric's Hollow was attacked by a raid of Death Eaters who were informed of the hideout by a traitor and one-time ally Peter Pettigrew. He led them into your parents' home through one of the secret passageways and ransacked an Order meeting in progress. His betrayal killed two-thirds of the Order and he disappeared before we could track him down."

"That bastard." I mused.

Remus nodded. "Indeed. I was sent back when your parents didn't arrive at Grimmauld Place right away with a message from Dumbledore for them and another couple, Edward and Jane Granger. They were the Muggle correspondents I told you about when you were inducted on your birthday, you remember?"

"Yes."

Remus looked back at Dumbledore for a brief moment before continuing. "I informed them of the betrayal first off because I felt they deserved to know. But the reason I was sent there was to relay that the Order was now in shambles. With so many of our people gone, the Order ceased to exist."

"But you eventually rebuilt it." I said, proud of myself for remembering.

"Yes, but that was not originally the case." He continued. "Professor Dumbledore, unbeknownst to the rest of us, placed a spell on the Order to unify the group. The spell was called _Sempercieo Nunsolus_ and it is a spell created on the prospect 'united we stand, divided we fall'. What it does is provide protection on a group of items when they are united. Dumbledore found a way to make it apply to humans and cast it without our knowing, thinking it would protect us. It turns out that when half of the spell's recipients are apart or demolished, the spell turns into a curse that prevents the items from fulfilling their purpose. In this case, it was fighting alongside each other against Voldemort."

"I was under the impression that Voldemort was above undermining his enemies, but apparently, I was sadly mistaken." Dumbledore said with a forlorn look on his wrinkled features. "I tend to give too much trust to people who are undeserving of it."

"It wasn't your fault, sir." Sirius said, speaking up for the first time in a neutral tone.

"On the contrary, Sirius, I take full responsibility for my actions, which is why I am here. You see, Harry, I sent Remus to your parents and the Grangers because I knew there was only one way to override the curse at such late notice. It was the only method I could think of on short notice and I knew that we didn't have any time to waste. It was by pure fate that you were a participant."

"What did you do?" I asked wearily, not looking forward to finding out the answer.

"What I felt was our only option at the time." Dumbledore answered. "I sent Remus to find the two couples on the pretense that they would form a bond between you and the Granger's young daughter to override the curse that _Sempercieo Nunsolus _placed on the Order."

"What kind of bond?"

"The only bond that can be performed between two people that is strong enough to counter any curse or hex known to Wizard-kind. A marriage bond."

"A _what_?"

"A marriage—"

"I heard what you said! I just… I can't… I was _married_?"

There was a drawn out silence and I began to feel very light headed. My face was going pale and my hands clammy. It's hard to describe my exact feelings but they weren't exactly pleasant!

"Well not married, more like engaged." Remus said meekly, as if it would help. But right now, I don't think anything would make me feel any better.

"I had a fiancée when I was a year old?" I shouted, the volume control on my larynx temporarily broken. "How in the bloody hell did my parents decide to do that?"

"They weren't quick to jump to it, I assure you." Remus said. "But at the time, the wards on the house were being slowly picked apart, and we didn't have much time to think of anything else. I performed the ceremony as quickly as I could in words I hoped would pertain to the Order."

I let out a giant gust of air. "Well did it work at least?"

"Thankfully, yes. Almost immediately after I was finished, Death Eaters found us and we were able to fend them off before apparating here to Grimmauld Place."

"That's a relief. It's just hard to picture me being betrothed when I could barely talk, you know? Thank Merlin that didn't happen now or else I would never go through with it." I laughed a little at the end. My laughter was unaccompanied as the three men stared at me with what looked to be guilt in their eyes.

"What?" I asked. "It's quite funny if you think about it."

"Oh it's a hoot." Sirius agreed. "But there's more."

My stomach dropped. There was always more.

Remus continued, "You see, after we escaped and got back to researching and ultimately finding a new solution, we thought it best that we keep the bond together until we were absolutely sure that the environment was safe. But then your parents were… well, murdered and things changed. When Sirius was named your guardian, he and I had a discussion about what James and Lily would have wanted us to do about the situation. We knew that Voldemort's followers were out there looking for ways to bring him back and were ultimately after you as well. So we kept the bond for another year and then another and another until you were growing old enough to understand if we ever explained it to you. Our superstitions led us into a corner and we tried our best to look on the bright side, but knew that we would eventually have to tell you."

"So you're saying I'm still engaged to this Granger girl whom I've never met." I said slowly.

"In a technical sense… yeah. You're definitely still promised to each other." Sirius said.

"Holy shit." I said softly. "So all this time you guys have known about this and have just chosen now to tell me?"

"We're sorry, Harry." Remus said.

"Truly and deeply sorry." Sirius added.

"But that's why you guys called me down here, isn't it, to break the bond?"

"Not entirely." Dumbledore spoke up, drawing my attention from the two nervous looking Marauders. "You see, this is the situation that Voldemort has been informed about. Someone has found out about your bond and is trying to use it to their advantage."

"And how are they going to do that? The bond was obviously aimed for the Order and not them."

"Precisely, but there are some loopholes that they are very much aware of. You see, the marriage bond is a very old spell that has been around since the beginning of our kind. It is built upon old principals and ideas that are not put into place in this era. Remus, although performing the act perfectly, recited the lines of one of the first incantations built around the marriage bond and thus enforcing some of the old ideals."

"What are these ideals, exactly?" I asked worriedly, hoping that I wasn't going to be turned into a toad or something equally as disturbing.

"Thankfully, it wasn't the oldest version, so you will not be removed of your testicles for canoodling with another woman." I gulped. "But in the version you were bonded with, if either person is to fall in love with another, the bond will be broken and transferred to another. It was a very short-lived version that was developed in the romantic period and is very rare to read about these days, I'm surprised Remus came upon it at all."

"Thank you, Professor…" Remus dead-panned.

"You are quite welcome." He responded kindly. "So Harry, you see the dilemma. If Voldemort chooses to pick up on this hint, he could gain an unprecedented amount of power since the bond was aimed at a large group of people rather than family."

"Couldn't he just marry a couple of his own and have the power of their marriage transferred to him?"

Remus spoke up. "In theory, yes, but it would not be as powerful as your and Miss Granger's bond. You see, she has been experiencing bursts of magic since she was an infant, but her parents elected to not tell her of her powers and kept her in the Muggle world for her own protection. It turns out that she has quite a large amount of magic for a Muggle-born and may even give you a run for your money if she applied herself. Your bond is extraordinarily powerful."

"What are you saying?" I asked, looking around nervously.

"We would like for you to go to Muggle London and teach Miss Granger all about her upbringing while protecting her from any suspicious characters that may be after her. Enroll in her school, become her friend. As she is not well informed about our world, and since she is convinced that magic isn't real, she is very susceptible to threat. I informed her parents of the situation and they tried to reason with her, but she is persistent in her beliefs that magic does not exist."

"And after I teach her, then what? Am I supposed to marry her?"

"That is your choice." Dumbledore said. "You may break or enforce the bond but it must be mutual."

I leaned back in my chair, taking all of this in. I had a fiancée who was too stubborn to embrace her magical upbringing and therefore very prone to attacks and kidnappings from Death Eaters and the like. They wanted me to go to Muggle London to try and convince her against her own beliefs and make or break a bond that our parents made before we could process the difference between a toilet and a carpet. It would mean giving up Hogwarts for a Muggle school of which I had never been a part of and leaving all of my friends. All to prevent Voldemort from stealing the power from our bond for his own benefit.

And the kicker was that with my weird complex, I was actually considering it.

Holy fuck.

"I don't know, guys, I mean I can't just leave Hogwarts. I'm in my seventh year with my N.E. and—"

"It would be taken care of." Dumbledore said, holding up a hand. "We would send you coursework through owl and you would have access to a floo system which you have full liberty to use at your wish no matter what the motive."

"So no complaining about not seeing Ron or Ginny." Sirius said teasingly. "If you choose to go, they'll be informed of your situation but not your location, so you may speak to them through owl and pay them the occasional visit. Within reason, of course."

"I'm still not sure. I mean, I don't even know her name or what she looks like."

Dumbledore reached into the folds of his robe and pulled out what looked to be a piece of colorful laminated parchment. He handed it to me and I saw that there was a face painted on it; one of a girl with brown slightly bushy hair, brown eyes, and a small splash of freckles on her cheeks and nose. She was smiling dazzlingly and had the most perfect set of dentures I had ever seen. It was then I realized that the picture was not moving, for by now the girl would be waving or gesturing kindly in some way. I remembered Sirius telling me about how Muggle photographs didn't move but I had never seen one to confirm it.

"Her name is Hermione Jean Granger, she will be turning seventeen September the nineteenth, is an honor student at her school, and her favorite color is purple." I gave Dumbledore an odd look. "Her parents sent us a letter with basic information. She also reacts favorably toward lemon drop candies."

I nodded. "Duly noted."

"So what do you say, Harry? She is very pretty." Sirius said suggestively.

I looked back down at the pictured and smiled slightly. "Yes, she is." I put the picture on the table and looked at the three eager faces awaiting my decision. "It's not going to be easy, is it?"

"Absolutely not." Remus said.

"Are you positive there is no other way to resolve this? No spells or anything?"

"Trust me, we've looked at everything." Sirius said forlornly. I smiled slightly at his lost-puppy eyes that he pulled off so well.

I let my gaze shift from one pair of eyes to the next, trying to make sense of all that was going on in my head. Finally, I just closed my eyes. I knew it was my duty to help the Order since the bond was one-half mine to bear, but that didn't mean I _had_ to. I had a choice as I always did. I had never been forced to do anything in my life—not Quidditch or sneaking firewhisky into Gryffindor tower or exploring the depths of Hogwarts until the wee hours of the morning. That had all been my choice. I had always gone with my gut no matter how much trouble it had gotten me into. But this time, I felt nothing in my gut but severe indigestion. Instead of feeling anything at all in the pit of my stomach, the answer now lay deep within my chest. It was pulsing with something, and I wasn't really clear on what, but it was powerful.

I opened my eyes.

"I'll do it."

All three grinned and Sirius let out a _whoop_ of triumph, complete with pumping his fist into the air. I smiled as they began talking amongst each other like they had been before I'd entered. I caught small snippets of their conversation such as their plans to owl the Grangers and arrange for a letter to be sent to all of my Professors to inform them of my extended absence. All of it turned into a blur, however, when I was overcome with a dark emotion of which I could not describe.

One thing was for sure: I would have much preferred Sirius' sex talk to this.

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the positive feedback last chapter! It means so much that you guys take the time to write me feedback :) Unfortuantly doesn't allow me to respond to your reviews without typing them all out here and since I'm ridiculously lazy, that just doesn't fly. So if you have a question that you _need _to ask me, feel free to go to my formspring account and ask it there. The url is:: .me/xshar**


	3. Strange and Beautiful

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Strange and Beautiful**

"_To me, you're strange and you're beautiful,  
You'd be so perfect with me but you just can't see,  
You turn every head but you don't see me._"  
- Aqualung (Strange and Beautiful)

Today was going to be an off day.

From the moment my alarm went off informing me of the weather this morning I knew that something was wrong. There was no clear evidence, seeing as I was still in my room, staring at my white plaster ceiling, and the deep baritone of the weatherman certainly wasn't giving anything away, but I just _knew_. It didn't help that today was my first day of Year 13—my last year of school. I should be excited, exhilarated, or even giddy. Instead I had a dark feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach that made me feel almost nauseous.

I turned my alarm off and threw my comforter to the side, hoping that I could walk the unwelcome feeling out of system. As I slipped my feet into the slippers that were placed on the side of my bed I knew that that wasn't going to be an option. This wasn't one of those passing senses that could be easily avoided. It was one of _those_ feelings; the ones I've been getting since before I could remember - the ones that usually led to disaster.

I remembered the last time I woke up like this: It was a little over two years ago and after I passed the feeling off as nothing, my parents sat me down and told me that I was a witch. Can you believe that? A _witch_! They said that everything weird that had been happening to me had to do with magic and my powers maturing. Of course, you could probably sum up my reaction when I heard that. I thought they had gone positively insane. I laughed for a minute straight and told them that if they really expected me to believe that, they should both buy round-trip tickets for Loony Land out of my university account.

Magic does not exist. It's against everything I have been taught since I began schooling. Scientific evidence proves that everything deemed "magical" was simply chemical. Magic shows put on to entertain the masses were just a clever use of mirrors and sly talent. Only in books and films did magic exist; and that was only to create false hope in children whose minds were too underdeveloped to perceive magic as inconceivable. I, on the other hand, was smart and had a very overdeveloped brain (something of which I am somewhat proud), so magic was not something that could exist to me. Sure, it is entertaining and somewhat interesting to think that somewhere out there, there really is a school named Hogwarts with students from around England enrolled to practice their talents. It might even make for a great children's book one day. But places like that only existed in ones imagination; in this case, my parent's.

I do have to give them some credit for thinking all of that up. They went so in-depth with their explanation that for a moment I almost believed them, but then I reminded myself that it was magic and wizards that they were talking about and remembered my place. They explained things like Hogwarts and an organization named the Order of the Phoenix of which they were a part of as "Muggle" correspondents; "Muggle" being a term they said described non-magical people, ergo, them. I think that was where they lost me. You see, if they were these "Muggles" then how could I possess any magical abilities whatsoever? It made no sense. If I was to really believe them, then they should have had some magic in them as well and passed it down to me by blood. But no, according to them, I was somewhat of a miracle. Fat chance.

After rearranging my sheets and pillows to their proper positions, I made my way to the washroom to get ready: brushing my teeth for two minutes, gargling mouthwash for thirty seconds, and then finally showering and drying my hair. If this routine sounds too precise for believability, then I'm sorry to disappoint. I am a very organized individual and have always followed the same routine. Normalcy is a relief to me; anything otherwise is problematic and adds to my overall stress level, and the last thing I need right now is stress. Being at the top of my class is a very heavy burden to bear and I'm surprised that I haven't cracked yet. As I said; normalcy is my rock. If anything was out of place, then I would have a problem. But for now, I count myself thankful that I'm not in a psych ward.

Dressing in my normal school attire - jeans, tee-shirt, jumper, and a pair of high tops - I padded downstairs to have breakfast. Today was the only day of the year I didn't have to make it myself. My mum always took it upon herself to make a celebratory meal to send me off to my first day of school and today was no exception. I smelled the cinnamon flapjacks from the last step of the stairs and hurried to the kitchen. As I entered, I saw my mum finishing the last of the sausage links on the stove and my father reading the morning newspaper from his normal seat at the table. The flapjacks and eggs were already on the table and I hurried over to my chair and began piling the food onto my plate. Right on cue, my mum set a plate of sausage links beside my plate and I grabbed a few of those as well.

"Thank you, mum." I said before taking my first bite of eggs.

She gave me a kind smile. "You're welcome, dear. Now don't eat too quickly, you still have plenty of time until school starts."

"I know, but I wanted to fit in some reading before I have to head off."

I could hear my mum roll her eyes. "Honestly, Hermione, give yourself a break. School hasn't even started yet and you're already reading the textbooks?"

"Not the textbooks, mum, summer reading. I forgot that I was supposed to finish up _The Sound and the Fury_ before class today."

"Still, it's not reason enough to give yourself a stomachache before your last first day of school."

I sighed and continued to eat. I knew she was right, but school has always been the most important thing to me. Label me whatever you like, it would only get me further in life.

I finished in a record two minutes and hurried to rinse off my dish in the sink. I could only vaguely hear my mum calling after me, but ignored her in my rush to finish up my book. I reached my room quickly and pulled out the book from my backpack, flipping to the page with the small envelope I used as a bookmark.

The book in itself wasn't very intriguing, but I knew that it was going to be discussed today in class and if I wanted to keep my participation grade up, I had to at least know what I was talking about. Faulkner's style of writing wasn't what I deemed the best and I had no clue why our teacher assigned this particular book to read over the summer, but I was the one who had enrolled in an honors literature class so I really had no room to complain. All of my summer work was finished and this was the only assignment I had yet to complete thanks to my summer job working at a local diner. I worked from nine to five every other day, excluding the weekend and got a decent amount of money to prove it. I knew that if I wanted to keep the car that my parents had gotten me for my birthday last year I had to pull my weight and pay for petrol on my own for the summer. During school, they had no problem forking over thirty or so pounds every few days to help me get to school and back. Summer, on the other hand, was all on me.

The last few pages were finished within twenty minutes and I looked at my clock to make sure I still had time to get to school. I did. If I left now, I would have a good ten minutes before the first bell would ring. So with that goal in mind, I put the book back in my bag and slung it over my right shoulder, making sure to grab the keys that were on my bedside table.

As I headed down the stairs for the second time, I yelled a goodbye to my parents and heard them respond just before I closed the door to head out to my car, a lovely red Jeep Grand Cherokee that looked new as the day my parents had given it to me. I remember the reaction I had when my dad opened the garage door the day I turned seventeen to show me the car. I had never expected them to get me something this extravagant, but they claimed they had good reason; it was a reward for my perfect grades. I couldn't really argue with that.

As I opened the door to throw my backpack in, I felt myself stiffen. Something wasn't right. I turned around in a slow 360-degree circle and looked around. Nothing was there and yet my body was still stiff. If I didn't know any better, I would say that someone was watching me. But that was ridiculous. No one was around here. Unless they could make themselves invisible, there was no way anyone was here besides me. I tried to relax, but there was still an uneasiness surrounding my senses. Maybe I was just paranoid because of how I woke up this morning. Yes, that was all it was. I was too paranoid.

So I moved my paranoid ass out of there as quickly as I could.

Only when I was on the main road did I allow myself to relax. Whatever that had been it was gone. Knowing me, I was probably just overreacting to a squirrel's gaze on me and nothing else.

_Relax, Hermione, _I mentally told myself, _whatever it was, it's gone now. No need to dwell too much on it._

I breathed in deep through my nose and nodded. It was gone and I could move on and, more importantly, focus on the road so that I didn't get in an accident.

Yes, squirrels are unimportant, accidents are bad. Focus on the road.

The trip to school took little more than ten minutes. I pulled up to the large building and steered in the direction of the student parking lot. I parked in my assigned space and pulled my bag from where I'd put it in the passenger's seat. Thankfully, my space was close to the walkway that leads to the entrance so I only had to walk a few hundred meters before I reached the front doors.

The distinct school smell filled my senses instantly and I relished in it. Unlike many of my fellow classmates, I enjoyed learning and looked at each day spent at school as one step closer to my new life rather than freedom, although that was a nice thought as well.

Livonia High is a spectacle among the schools of London. Instead of being named after a historical figure or important location, it received its name from the first head that led the school back in 1612. It was one of the older schools, but still maintained modern equipment in most departments. If you observed the grounds only, you would think it some privatized school for snobs, but it was, indeed, public to all who wanted to attend. It was built from brown and tan brick with white windows that allowed lots of sunlight into the many classrooms. The main entrance had three pillars holding up a formal archway that looked to be carved by some sort of architectural genius and three sets of oaken double-doors that were all propped open. Bushes and flowers tended by the gardening club lined the perimeter and the grass was perfectly trimmed.

Remember, this _is_ a state school. My theory is that the outside is just a façade built to dupe passersby that our student body was very well mannered and deserved nothing but the best. In reality, it was the opposite. If you observed the inner workings of this school for a day, you would think that it was a zoo rather than a school.

I began maneuvering the hallways to find my locker, which was located near the gymnasium. There were a few bundles of students in various places, catching up with hugs and conversation about their holidays. My high tops made tiny padding noses against the newly polished stone floors; one of the familiar sounds my ears were welcomed back to. I arrived at my locker and entered the combination by the turning lock. It was already pre-decorated since I chose to get that out of the way when I picked up my schedule. I had a small cork-board/whiteboard on the door with a small magnetic bin filled with dry erase markers, thumbtacks, and extra utensils underneath it. In the top cubby, I had put a handy shelving system to organize all of my reading material and extra knick-knacks. At the bottom, I had another larger one that organized all of my folders and textbooks. The only thing that wasn't in use were the three hooks that most filled with extra sweaters and things, but I only used when it got chilly. There was no sense in using space if it wasn't going to be beneficial.

I pulled out my schedule and remembered I had my Honors Literature class first period. I pulled out the binder I had put at the bottom labeled _HonLit _and put it in my bag along with a few pencils and pens. I also put in my _HonChem_ folder in there since I had the class before lunch.

"Well lookie what we have here. Perfect student Hermione Granger preparing for the first classes of her day as an official Senior." A sly voice said from behind me.

I turned around and smiled. "Hey Kat."

Katherine Brennan was my gorgeous, perfect best friend. She had wavy strawberry blonde hair that was currently half pulled back with a cute little bow, sun kissed skin, perfectly applied makeup, and an outfit that would probably get her yelled at by half of the teachers in our school by first period. It was a wonder she wasn't a cheerleader or held some other popular title, but she chose to be above all of those labels and hang around me instead. It was one of the mysteries in my life that I could not comprehend.

"You mind if I put my jumper in your locker? Mine's jammed already and Chuck said he can't get it open until after lunch. Looks like the lockers in this school aren't what they used to be."

"Sure." I said as I moved aside and let her hang her pink bejeweled jumper on one of my hooks. She then gave me a look that asked if I was done using my locker and I nodded. She promptly shut it and we began walking down the hallway together.

"So how was your summer, Herm?" She asked.

"I told you to stop calling me that." I scolded. She was unperturbed by my retort, as usual, so I simply sighed and answered her question. "Pretty uneventful. I worked at Tom's Café in town for most of it and paid for my gas and a few books. It's not like I went to Paris like some other people I know."

Kat blushed. "It's not my fault I have an aunt who loves to spoil me. Besides, contrary to my first thought, there aren't many hot blokes in Paris."

"Really?"

She bit her lip as I stared her down. "Well there was one, but nothing really happened. It was sad, really. I spent all of my time at the bakery he works at, talking with him, but never found the guts to ask him out for coffee. It was pathetic."

"Oh come off it. Tell me you at least enjoyed the sights while you were there."

"Well of course. Being the history geek I am, I went everywhere and even got you a few souvenirs."

"Seriously?" I asked, excitement bubbling up in my stomach.

"Yep, but I'm not going to give them to you until your birthday to be fair."

I sighed. "Fine. But now I'm going to spend my whole day wondering what you got little old me."

She giggled. "But enough about my adventure, what shenanigans did you get up to at Tom's?"

"Well my first day, I slipped and nearly broke five plates."

"Wow, that's really interesting." She said dryly. "Come on, tell me the dirty details! I know who else got a job there on the same schedule as you. Spill."

I rolled my eyes as I passed a couple of horny freshman groping each other behind one of the vending machines. "We ended up talking a lot when things got slow. He's a lot mellower than I thought."

"Oh _come on_, Herm, that is so boring. Give me more than that!"

I shrugged. "Sorry Kat, that's all that happened."

We arrived at out class and took our seats in the back. Mr. Cain always let us pick our seats at the beginning of the year just so he didn't have to waste time making a seating chart. I put my bag on the left of my desk and turned to see Kat looking at me expectantly. I looked away quickly and got out my materials for the class.

"You're telling me," She said as I pulled out my binder, "that you spent an entire summer with Drake, the boy you've had a crush on since last year, just _talking_? Why did you make a move?"

"Kat, hush!" I said when she yelled. "I'm not like you. I can't ask guys out."

"Well obviously I'm not like me either or else I would have gotten some action this summer." I snorted. "But seriously, why didn't you?"

"Like I said—I can't ask out guys, especially ones that are out of my league."

"Drake is so not out of your league!" Kat said as though she had been personally offended. "You are gorgeous, so is he, so you two would make the most gorgeous babies on the planet."

"So that's it then? You think because we would have cute kids it would be enough reason to go for it?"

"Hell yes!" She said with a wide grin. "You guys would be great together. Besides, you haven't gone out with anyone since Robby Benson and that was five years ago. Don't tell me he scared you so much you swore off guys for life."

"No, he didn't." I said plainly. "We only went out for three days and it wasn't a very memorable experience."

"My God woman, than freaking go for it! I swear if you don't then—well wouldn't you know it, speak of the devil and he shall appear."

I craned my neck to where she was looking and saw that she was right. Drake Malloy was just coming through the door looking as though he just walked out of a photo shoot for Playgirl, except that he still had his clothes on. Damnit.

Drake was a good six feet tall with bleach blonde hair the perfect length to run your fingers through. His eyes were a piercing silver shade and highly accentuated by his pale compaction which had been slightly darkened by the summer sun. His outfit today consisted of a gray and white striped wool sweater, dark washed jeans, and loafers. What made the picture of him even more alluring was that he wasn't even trying to look this good.

His eyes scanned the room until they fell on me. I was about to look away and berate myself for acting like a love struck moron when he smiled and waved. I felt my face heat up slightly but tried to cover it up by returning his gesture. Then, he surprised me by making his way through the desks and sitting in the seat directly in front of mine, something I never would have expected in this lifetime.

"Hey Hermione." He said charmingly as he put his backpack close to mine on the floor. "Haven't seen you in a while."

"Oh yes, last Friday certainly is a long time to be apart."

"Most definitely." He agreed. "I'm going to miss working with you. We had a lot of fun."

I smiled. "Yeah, it was great getting to know you better."

"Ditto." He said before reaching behind him on his desk to pull out his copy of _The Sound and the Fury_. "So did you get this book at all? Because the whole time I was reading it I thought I was going through one massive hangover."

I chuckled. "Yeah, I got the gist of it. Faulkner has an, err, interesting way of writing is all. All you have to do is decipher it and go on from there."

"Well not all of us are top of our class and can crack the cipher." He said teasingly.

I blushed. "It's not terribly difficult. I could have helped you if you asked for it."

It was his turn to look embarrassed. "I wanted to… but to be honest, I was a bit scared."

I looked at him oddly. "Why were you scared?"

"Well you're, you know, the smartest person in this school and I thought that if I asked you anything school related, you might think I was an idiot."

Was it weird that I was a bit touched? Yeah, probably, but I didn't care. Drake Malloy was intimidated by _me_!

"I wouldn't have thought that at all. I would have loved to help you out."

"Really?"

"Of course."

"Well, if that's the case, I'm probably going to need loads of help in math. So maybe you and I could—"

"_Ho-_ly crap."

I wanted to smack Kat for interrupting what was sure to be another opportunity to get even closer to Drake. I turned over to her to ask what was wrong, though, but saw that she was staring wide-eyed at the door. I followed her line of sight and I saw what she was so amazed at. There, standing in the doorway looking back and forth between his schedule and the number plastered outside the classroom, was someone I had never seen or met before, but was very intent on wanting to. I couldn't explain it, but I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

And then he lifted his eyes and met mine almost instantly, causing a very familiar sensation to wash through me like a new tide.

His eyes were the shade of emeralds and covered with a pair of silver circular glasses. And to be honest, that was the only thing I noticed as I stared at him. Oh crap, I was staring! I quickly pulled my eyes away and turned back around to Drake and Kat. Drake was looking rather upset about something, but I dismissed it as nothing.

"Who _is_ that guy?" Kat asked in awe.

"I dunno." I answered in a breathy voice.

"Looks like a real asshole to me." Drake said in a low voice.

Kat and I turned over to Drake. He had the same expression of disgust on his features and turned to look at us when he realized we were looking at him. Kat spoke up first, "I don't think so. He's _gorgeous_ and gorgeous guys are not assholes. It's like the unspoken law of hotness."

"Kat," I said, highly amused by her analogy. "That makes no sense. For all we know he could be the next Adolf Hitler."

"Well call me a Nazi, because I would sure like to be under _his_ power."

"_Kat_!"

"Oh come on, Herms. You saw him! Tell me you wouldn't like to tap that."

I refused to look back over at him. "I am not having this discussion with you. Pardon me if I don't think Nazis and sexual innuendos should be in the same sentence."

"Well you should have compared him with something else, then."

I snorted. "Kat, you are incorrigible."

She shrugged and went back to starring at the newcomer, who was making his way to Mr. Cain's desk. I followed him as well but quickly pulled myself away. I was in the middle of a discussion with Drake and had full intent of finishing it. But when I turned to him, his back was facing me and he looked to be fully immersed in his notepad.

_Damnit_.

The bell rang and the rest of the class came pouring in. Looks like I wouldn't have had any time to talk anyway. The rest of the class found their seats and I turned to face the front of the room. The new guy was gone, presumably finding his seat among the rest of the other students.

"Welcome back." Mr. Cain said with a grin. "First off, let me take attendance to make sure you are all in the right place. Heather Abbey?"

"Here."

He continued down the list and I said the appropriate response when he called my name. After I put my hand down did I feel it - the same sensation I had earlier at my car. The feeling of being watched. My back was stiff and I unconsciously craned my neck to look around my shoulder to the row on my left and a few seats back. My eyes connected with the familiar bespectacled ones of the nameless new guy. He was staring at me intently and showed no sign of embarrassment or anger that he had been caught staring. He just continued to observe me, only blinking when it seemed necessary.

"Harry Potter?"

His eyes never wavered from mine as he moved his lips to emit a distinct "Present."

His name being called only added to the sensation. I felt goose bumps form down my arm and forced myself to look away. It didn't make any difference. I could still feel his eyes on me. I struggled to maintain my composure throughout the rest of Mr. Cain's obligatory welcome speech. I kept on reminding myself that this Harry fellow could only stare at me for so long without becoming bored. I wasn't exactly the picture of a perfect womanly figure, what with my too-skinny build and boring choice of clothes and hairstyle. But still, his blatant stare continued throughout the class period and never wavered.

The class was exactly what I predicted; Mr. Cain opened the floor for discussion immediately after going through the class guidelines. I did my best to participate as often as I felt necessary, but it was very hard to do with Harry's eyes following my every movement. Finally, the bell rang to signify the end of class and I bolted from the room, eager to get away from him.

But apparently, fate had other plans.

By some ridiculous alignment of the stars, Harry Potter was placed in every single one of my classes. And in every single one of those classes, his eyes never left me. In Honors Chemistry, his seat was directly behind me, which only made things worse. Close proximity only added to the uncomfortable environment that surrounded me.

During lunch, though there were ten tables between us, I still felt his stare. It was very hard to eat with that much attention being paid to you. I had half a mind to storm over to him and demand what his problem was. Too bad I wasn't a very assertive person or I would have done just that.

"Herms, you okay?" Kat asked me, her head tilted to the side.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I lied.

"There's no use lying to me, princess. This morning you were a ray of sunshine and now you're a little black raincloud."

I sighed. "You know that new guy, Harry something?"

Her face brightened. "You mean Mr. I-wanna-rip-your-clothes-off?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, him."

She narrowed her eyes. "What—do you not like him or something?"

"He's been staring at me all day, Kat." I said quietly. "I haven't said a word to him and yet he feels the need to stare me down like I'm something interesting."

"You _are_ something interesting, Herms. You're a regulation hottie. Obviously, he sees something he likes and can't take his eyes off of you. Girl, I'm jealous!"

"Well don't be, it's creeping me out."

"You're joking, right?" I shook my head. "When a guy pays you this much attention, you're supposed to be flattered, not appalled."

"Sorry if I don't have much experience." I said hotly.

She sighed and took a bite out of her sandwich instead of responding.

"Kat, it just doesn't feel right." I confessed. She gave me an odd look. "It doesn't feel like he's staring at me because he… sees something he likes."

"Then what _does_ it feel like?"

I tried to think of a way to put it before speaking. "Like he's studying me."

"_Studying _you? What does that even mean?"

"I dunno. But that's the only way I can think of putting it. It's kind of like I'm more of a complex Shakespearean play rather than a graphic adult novel."

"_Oh._" She said in understanding. "So to him you're an old playwright and not a hot busty babe."

I flinched. "That's one way to put it, I guess."

"Oh Herms, I didn't mean—"

"It's okay, it's fine. I just need to focus on my studies and not Harry's weird fascination with me."

Kat nodded. She took another bite of her sandwich when she looked back at me with a thoughtful expression. "You know what I find odd? That this Harry guy hasn't even approached you yet. He strikes me as the kind of guy who when he sees what he wants, he goes for it."

"Kat, you haven't even talked to him."

"Neither have you." She countered. "I don't think anyone has yet, so all we have to work with is our opinions."

I sighed.

"Is he still looking?"

"Yes." I said without thought.

"You didn't even look."

"I don't have to." I said in a monotone. "I can feel his eyes on me."

"Really?" She asked in awe. "Like a sixth sense or something?"

I shrugged. "I guess."

"Right on."

And the topic was dropped. In Psychology and Maths nothing changed. As soon as the bell rang, I felt his eyes on me and couldn't shake them off.

At the end of the day, I sprinted to my car and took the fastest route home.

Only when I was on the road did the feeling leave me and I had the opportunity to relax. The problem with that was I couldn't find the will. The only thing that occupied my mind was Harry bloody Potter and his lack of modesty. It was a miracle I made it home without a speeding ticket in my glove box.

As I parked my car in the driveway, I tried to remain calm. I had about two hours worth of homework and needed to get it finished before dinner and I couldn't do that without a focused state of mind. The only way I could achieve that was by forgetting about this new Harry person who seemed to be endlessly fascinated by me.

Looks like my schoolwork load was the ticket because all thoughts of him were then wiped out. I got out of my car and grabbed my backpack. I made a beeline for the living room, got out my first assignment and got straight to work.

I was hard at work on the last of my Psychology worksheet when I heard the door open.

"We're home." I heard my mom say.

"And we brought Thai!" My dad added.

I grinned and quickly scribbled down the rest of my answers before going to the kitchen. My mum was setting down her coat while my dad was unloading the paper bag that contained our dinner. I walked over to help him and he smiled at me. Together we unloaded the food while my mum set the table. In just under five minutes, we were all seated at the table and loading our plates with food.

"So Hermione how was your day?" My mum asked.

"Fine." I replied curtly.

"Anything exciting happen?"

"Not particularly, just a normal day." _Except for the fact that I have a new stalker_.

"Oh."

I nodded and was just about to take a bite of noodles when there was a knock on the door. I put my fork down and looked at my parents. They had an odd expression on their faces.

"Hermione, dear, would you mind getting that?" My dad asked, looking down at his food.

"Um, sure." I said, getting up.

Weird.

I reached the door just as whoever was on the other side knocked again. I called out to them to hold on as I gripped the doorknob. I then pulled open the door and I felt a huge lump form in my throat when I saw who was on the other side.

He had his hands in his pockets and was smiling as if he hadn't a care in the world. "Hi, Hermione. My name is Harry Potter and I'm your fiancée."

Incredulous. That was the only word to describe my feelings as my tight grip on the door knob slipped and my vision faded to gray.

**A/N: Sorry for posting this chapter so late, it kinda slipped my mind. Heh. I'm going to make it up to you, though! This weekend I'm going to my grandparents house and am going to have no internet to post so I'm working on a chapter right now so I can post it on Friday. If all goes well, you'll have a chapter in two days so don't hate on me just yet ;)**

**As always, thanks to my beta, Vincent! You rock, man.**

**Get sneak previews of chapters: .com**

**Ask me anything & everything: .me/xshar**


	4. Secrets

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Secrets**

"_I need another story  
Something to get off my chest  
My life gets kinda boring  
Need something that I can confess"  
_- OneRepublic (Secrets)

I had always been one to take the direct approach. I wasn't ashamed of it, nor had it ever posed any problems for me in the past. Some birds even found it sexy, and who was I to deny anything that could get me a shag? Today was different.

I was pacing outside the Grangers' door for a good ten minutes, contemplating what I was going to say. I knew that Edward and Jane were expecting me, but Hermione was not. If she answered the door I would have a lot of explaining to do. She only knew me as the guy who had done nothing but stare at her all day. How could I ever get her to trust me when her first impression of me was as some creepy new kid?

I sighed and rapped my knuckles against the door. There was a one in three chance that she would be answering. Certainly her parents would want to greet me first, so that added another few points against her. It would be fine. Besides, I was great under pressure. I've had the weight of the Wizarding world on my shoulders since I could blink and still haven't gone insane, so confronting my fiancée and her parents should be a piece of cake.

There was no answer after what I deemed to be a while so I knocked again. I put my hands in my pockets directly after, not wanting to seem too eager to get inside.

"Hold on!" I heard a feminine voice call from the other side.

The door opened and there she was in all of her post-school glory. Hermione Granger. As soon as she realized it was me standing on her porch, her face contorted to one of confusion.

The words poured out of my mouth like word vomit. "Hi, Hermione. My name is Harry Potter and I'm your fiancée."

It was only a moment before she fainted.

"Holy shit." I said out loud, reaching out to catch her as she fell forward into my arms. Thank you Seeker reflexes, you just saved this girl from a major concussion.

Thankfully she was as light as a feather, so adjusting her in my arms was simple. The only problem was I had never really had to deal with an unconscious person before, so having Hermione in my arms was pretty useless.

"Err, hello?" I called into the house. "A little help here, please!"

There was the sound of feet running toward me within seconds, and a woman with hair as disheveled as her daughter's came into my view. Her attention went from Hermione's limp form to me within seconds and her face lit up like an incandescent bulb.

"Harry Potter! Oh, we've been expecting you. Please come in, come in."

"Slight problem with that, Mrs. Granger." I said softly. "Your daughter is kind of passed out in my arms at the moment."

She waved it off like I had just said it was raining. "It happens."

"But—"

"Come on in, dear. Put her on the sofa over there." She pointed to her right and I gave her a look but said nothing else.

I bent down to hook an arm under Hermione's knees and cradled her against my chest as I entered their home. It was a beautifully decorated place with perfectly polished wooden floors and dustless shelves holding family pictures from years past. I followed Mrs. Granger under an archway that lead into a crème-carpeted living room. There was a plush silky rose sofa and armchairs surrounding a marble fireplace in the center of the room, a few oak tables and lamps scattered around the perimeter. She circled around the main gathering of furniture and took a seat in one of the armchairs. I placed Hermione on the nearby sofa and arranged her head to be propped up by a few pillows.

When I turned around, Mrs. Granger was signaling for me to take a seat. I looked over at Hermione for a moment before sitting near her feet on the couch. I hope she's not a kicker.

"Edward, get in here!" Mrs. Granger yelled. I looked over at her again and she smiled. "It's great that you're here, Harry. Dumbledore sent us the letter last night and we finished setting up the garage flat for you to stay in."

I smiled graciously at her. "Thank you, Mrs. Granger, I—"

"Please call me Jane."

"Okay. Jane, I'm glad you were nice enough to have me. This whole marriage bond thing is really overwhelming and I'm glad to be in good company."

"Of course." Jane said, nodding her head. "I realize how difficult this is on you. I speak on behalf of my husband and I when I say that we never intended the bond to go this far. Now we've put Hermione and you in danger and—"

"There's no need to apologize. I know that my parents were only trying to do the right thing and I'm sure that you and your husband—"

"Holy crap!"

Jane and I's heads snapped around to see Mr. Granger looking at me with a gaping mouth.

"Edward, this is—"

"I know who this is, Jane. It's Harry Potter. By God, you look just like James. Spitting image! Except for your eyes, of course…"

"My mother's eyes, yeah." I finished for him. Believe it or not, his reaction to seeing me wasn't the first time my father's name got brought up. Nearly every person who knew my parents made the same comment. It used to bother me, but it happened so often nowadays that it was just like talking about the weather.

"I suppose you hear that quite often." He said with a slight color to his cheeks.

"Quite." I agreed.

He took a seat in the armchair next to Jane's and caught sight of Hermione lying comatose near me for the first time. "What happened here?"

"She passed out." Jane said.

"What?" He asked, concerned. Jane shrugged and he looked at me.

I summed it up as best I could. "Well I told her that I was her fiancée."

"What did you do that for?" Edward asked.

"I took the direct approach." I said like it made perfect sense. According to the faces that Edward and Jane gave me, though, it didn't do much to defend my case. "I'm guessing that wasn't the best idea, then?"

"Not with Hermione." Jane said. "She's so used to having normalcy in her life that anything new or odd makes her react like, well, this. Usually she just shuts down and stares at a wall for a minute or two. This is the first time she's fainted, come to think of it."

"Well that makes me feel special." I said bitterly.

"Oh don't feel bad." She said. "It's quite a shock, finding out that you're engaged to someone you've never met."

I nodded. "I suppose so…"

I heard a low groan behind me and turned to see Hermione stirring. Jane was the first out of her seat and by her daughter's side. She grabbed her hand and caressed it gently. "Hermione… honey… can you hear me?"

"Mmmmm," she moaned, turning her head to the side and opening her eyes a crack. "Mum?"

"Yeah. Are you okay?"

"I think so." She said, beginning to prop herself on her elbows. "Last thing I remember is this guy I saw at school saying—AHH!"

I shouldn't have sat by her feet. She quickly drew them up to her chest and in the process, knocked me over onto the floor. I landed flat on my chest and let a very unattractive noise come out at the impact. I breathed in deep through my nose and sat up quickly.

"Oh Harry! Are you alright?" Jane asked as I adjusted my position on the floor.

"Y-yeah. Fine. Just a little winded." I turned to Hermione. "I suppose I deserved that."

"You think?" She said hotly.

"_Hermione_!" Jane said in shock.

"Mum do you even know who this guy _is_?" She asked, looking over at me for a fleeting moment before continuing. "He just… he just _showed up_ on our doorstep after being in all of my classes and staring at me as if I'm a rubic's cube and is claiming to be my _fiancée_! How insane is that? We should inform the authorities. Or, better yet, call the local sanitarium and tell them they're missing a patient."

"Hey!" I spoke up. "I'm not crazy! I _am_ your fiancée."

She raised an eyebrow. "Prove it, then."

She had me there.

When I remained silent, she smirked in triumph. It was soon wiped off her face, however, when her mother spoke up in a quiet voice. "Actually, I can."

"Mum…" she said worriedly.

"We've been meaning to tell you for years now, but you just wouldn't listen." She explained.

"You've never mentioned a fiancée!" She said defensively. "I would have remembered something like that. Instead you talk about magic and some weird Wizarding school named Pigfarts—"

"Hogwarts." All three of us corrected her.

"Whatever." She muttered passively. "Regardless, I have never heard you say that I was betrothed. Why should I believe you when you have no evidence?"

"I told you, sweetheart, I can prove it." Jane said. "Give me a few minutes."

Hermione's jaw clenched as Jane got up and exited the room. My eyes followed her out until I felt someone staring at me. It came as no surprise when I turned to see Hermione looking at me through narrowed eyes. Her expression wasn't of anger, though, it was more like she was thinking about something, and thinking hard.

"How much did they pay you?" She asked me.

At first I had no idea what she meant, but when I saw her face soften as though she had figured it all out, I knew. "They didn't. I'm just as surprised as you."

"You don't look very surprised."

"Well, I found out yesterday, so I've had more time to process it." I explained.

Her eyes narrowed again. "Are arranged marriages common where you're from?"

I snorted. "No, not for a few hundred years, at least. And even so, it's not an arranged marriage."

"Then what would you call it?"

"Well, Dumbledore called it a marriage bond."

"And how is that different from an arranged marriage?"

"It's a spell."

Her demeanor instantly changed. "Ohh a _spell_. Well, that explains everything now doesn't it?"

Something in the way she said it made me angry. Usually when someone was being sarcastic and I knew right away, it wouldn't affect me as much. But when it comes to magic, I'm a little more defensive. This girl was insinuating that everything I've ever known is a lie—that my entire life was nothing more than a myth. "You really don't believe in magic, do you?"

"Why should I? It's all a fable so parents have some fluff to add to fairytales."

"Fairytales, are you _serious_? That's what you think magic is?"

She shrugged. "Of course. It doesn't exist anywhere else."

"And how do you know that?"

"Scientific research. Obviously."

"Oh really. And what does your scientific research say about—"

"Don't ask me to explain, Harry." She interrupted. "I've had this argument with my parents enough times to refute anything you have to say. It will save loads of time if you just stop acting and get your head back into reality."

"Your reality and my reality are vastly different." I said darkly, having enough of her stubborn insolence. "I can show you things that your parents were too afraid to mention. I can tell you stories that will make you wish that magic wasn't real."

"I'm shaking." She said dryly.

"Do you really want to test me?" I asked, reaching behind me for my wand.

"Harry…" Edward said warningly from his seat.

I ignored him and continued to stare at Hermione. Her face remained hard and expressionless as she inched slowly forward, like she was talking to an infant child. "You don't scare me."

I smirked. "Not yet."

She gave me a look that showed me she really couldn't care less. To her, I was just some crazed lunatic who believed in magic. She had no idea the things I could do to her. Ignorance is bliss until I have her writhing on the floor.

Edward cleared his throat and I looked over to him. He was shaking his head as if he knew exactly what I was thinking of doing to his daughter. Then I remembered that he knew my father and according to Remus and Sirius, I was nearly an exact replica of him. So with that in mind I clenched my teeth and looked towards the floor, trying to control my anger.

"Here we are." Jane's chipper voice sang out as she entered the room. I looked up at her and saw that she was carrying a rather large and worn book. It didn't look terribly old, but the dust was the real kicker in that department.

"Where have you been keeping that?" Hermione asked in wonder.

Jane set the book down on the floor and sat Indian-style in front of it. As she began flipping through the pages, she answered Hermione. "In the attic, somewhere only your father and I can find it."

Hermione rolled her eyes and leaned further back into the cushions. I looked at the book intently as Jane continued to search for her page. "What is it?"

"A scrapbook of sorts." Jane answered. "It's from our days in the Order. Old records, research projects, and so on. After Lily and James's passing, we hid it so that it couldn't fall into enemy hands. Of course, we get the occasional call from Dumbledore asking for old documents for the meetings, so it's not as full as it used to be. But I'm positive that I kept the... aha!" She creased the pages so that they would stay steady and turned the book around so Hermione could see it. "After Remus performed the bond and we escaped Godric's Hallow, we recorded it down verbatim just in case something happened."

Hermione moved so that she could see the document and began scanning it. I tried to get a good look at it as well, but I had no doubt that what Remus, Sirius, and Dumbledore told me was false. The only knowledge I gained by looking at it was that Hermione would be hard-pressed to deny what was printed in black and white. The parchment had everyone's names on it, the date, the time, the incantation, and even the purpose of the bond, which is what caught Hermione's attention.

"I was used to bring the Order of the Phoenix together?" She asked softly.

"Well, yes." Edward said. "The original spell keeping us together was broken that night and we had no other solution."

"Of course you had other solutions!" Hermione yelled. "There is always another solution."

"Not in magic. You have to look extremely hard to find the answers." Jane said solemnly. "It's a miracle we thought of this solution with the limited time we had. Believe us when we say it wasn't an easy decision." Hermione gave her mother a look of distaste. Jane pressed on. "It was the only reason we got out of there alive. Death Eaters were in the house, searching for any survivors to wipe out."

"What are Death Eaters?" Hermione asked.

Jane looked at Edward for a fleeting moment before turning back to her daughter. "If you keep an open mind about magic, then we'll tell you."

"I can't." Hermione said. "Magic isn't real."

"My god, woman!" I exclaimed. "If magic wasn't real, none of us would be here right now."

"Prove. It."

Before Edward or Jane could refute, I pulled my wand out of my pocket and aimed at a pillow on a nearby chair. "_Expulso!_"

The pillow exploded into a cloud of feathers and fabric that floated in midair for a few moments, drifting every which way. One of the feathers glided over to Hermione and she reached out to grab it. Twisting it around her fingers, she looked at me with a puzzled and slightly alarmed expression.

"How did you do that?"

"Magic." I said simply.

She looked over at her parents who had a much more calm appearance than she was expecting. Jane spoke up first. "We can't perform magic, Hermione, but we know that it exists. It's in your blood."

"You're saying that _I_ can do that?" She asked carefully.

"With the right amount of practice, yes."

She looked back at me, licking her lips nervously before speaking. "You didn't put any explosives in the pillow or anything?"

I shook my head. "Couldn't if I tried. I'm too accident prone to handle anything of that caliber without injury."

That was the first time I saw Hermione Granger smile. It made her look almost human. Almost. I still hadn't forgiven her for treating magic as if it was something to laugh about. She directed her attention back to the feather in her hand and placed it down on the floor gingerly.

"I'm still skeptical." She confessed.

"It's better than ignorant." I countered.

She wrinkled her nose. "Why are you here, anyway? Why has it taken this long to bring up this bond?"

"That's our fault, sweetie." Jane said. Almost word for word, she explained what Remus told me yesterday evening. From the night that it all happened to present, she recounted the betrayal of Peter Pettigrew, the murder of my parents, and their choice to keep Hermione in the Muggle world. Only when they began to explain their reasoning for keeping her here did I gain interest since it was the only part of the tale I hadn't heard.

"We moved here to hide from Voldemort as soon as we heard what happened to the Potters. We told Dumbledore that we would no longer be coming to the Order meetings but were more than happy to help whenever we were needed as long as it meant we could stay with you. Then, on your fifth birthday, you showed the first signs of magic by blowing up your cake when your father pulled out the matches. It was that and many other little things that alerted us that you were a witch. We told Dumbledore that for your own protection, we wanted to keep you here. As the years went by, you still showed little outbursts of powerful magic that we couldn't control. By then, you had developed a mind of your own and rode them all off as odd occurrences and nothing else."

"So Aunt Bertha's hair catching on fire…"

"That was magic, yes."

"You set your aunt's hair on fire?" I asked in astonishment. "That's pretty impressive."

"Err, thanks, I guess."

"It's our fault that you're so closed off to the idea that magic exists. We should have told you early on, but we were too ignorant to do anything about it. We thought you were going to be just like us and had no reason to know about our past dealings with the Order. But apparently, fate had other plans for you." Jane bowed her head. "I'm sorry."

"Mum, it's not your fault. Maybe you're wrong and I can't do any magic."

"Oh you can do magic all right." Edward said.

"How is that possible if you two can't, then?"

"Sometimes magic skips the parents." Jane said. "It's more commonplace than you think. Two Muggle parents can have a magical child."

"But it makes no sense!"

"It doesn't have to." I said gently. All eyes turned to me. "Magic is one of those things that defy logic. It makes absolutely no sense to the average mind, but once you experience it for yourself, it's as though your whole world is backwards. You can only understand it if you live it."

"Dumbledore has appointed Harry to teach you anything you want to know about magic, Hermione." Jane said and I nodded. "He will teach you the basics as well as other skills pertaining to the craft. Any questions you have, he will answer."

Hermione turned to me and smirked as if it were a challenge. "If magic is real, then are vampires and werewolves, too?"

"Of course."

"What about bigfoot?"

"A hoax."

"Is abracadabra an actual spell?"

"No."

"Open sesame?"

"Don't be silly."

"What if I tried to use them on a person?"

"A few sparks would come out of your wand, probably, but nothing major."

"What kinds of spells are there?"

"Too many to name. You think of something, there's a spell to do it or make it easier to complete."

"What other magical things are there?"

"Potions, mindreading, divination, transfiguration, flying on broomsticks, charms, dragons, unique candies and practical jokes, the list goes on."

"Wait." She said, putting a hand up. "Did you say flying on broomsticks?"

I nodded.

"I am _not_ flying on a thin piece of wood."

"Unfortunately, it's a necessity. You don't know how to fly, you're doomed."

She cocked an eyebrow. "You're bluffing."

"I don't bluff."

She huffed and turned to her parents. They were grinning. I couldn't help but feel accomplished.

"Sorry, Hermione, but this is out of our control." Jane said.

She ground her teeth together and twisted back to me. I looked at her with a smug smile and saw her get increasingly aggravated. "Since it seems like everyone is out to get me, I'll make you a deal. If you can get me to use one of those wand things without making a complete idiot of myself, then I'll believe what you're saying about magic."

"Fine." I said calmly. "We'll go to Ollivander's this weekend."

"What's Ollivander's?"

"A wand shop in Diagon Ally. He'll help your wand find you."

"Don't you mean help me find my wand?"

"Nope. The wand finds the wizard, not the other way around." She gave me an odd look. "Like I said, everything seems backwards."

"You're telling me…" She said, rubbing her temples.

"Great, now that we have that settled, to the reason that Harry's here." Edward said, rubbing his hands together.

Hermione turned to her father. "What do you mean? I thought Harry was here to teach me magic and reverse this bond."

"Not exactly." I said slowly.

"What haven't you told me?" She asked irately.

"Plenty." I said. "Apparently Voldemort heard of our bond and is trying to use it to his advantage."

"Voldemort's the bad guy, right?" I nodded. "So what does he want with our bond? The Order doesn't need it anymore, so it wouldn't do any harm if we lifted it."

"It may seem that way, but it's not that simple." I said gravely. "If Voldemort chooses to act on this, then he's going to try and transfer the bond to work on his followers, the Death Eaters. Since Remus used an older version of the spell, it has the same limitations. If one of us is to fall in love with another, the bond will be broken and transferred to the new pair. The Order thinks that Voldemort may send one of his followers to manipulate you into their clutches. If you fall in love with one of them, the bond that was made for the Order will be transferred to the Death Eaters and give them a very high advantage."

She nodded in understanding. "And since I've remained ignorant, I'm an easy target."

"Precisely."

"Why can't we just remove the bond now so that they'll never get a hold of it?" she asked skeptically.

"We could, but the bond gives us advantages, too. Since the bond is on the two of us, we work better together than apart. At least, that's what Dumbledore said."

"This Dumbledore guy seems to know a lot."

"He's the greatest wizard alive." I said fondly. "He's been my mentor since I… never mind. He's a very powerful wizard and has taught me a lot."

"You sound very fond of him." She said.

"I am. I trust him with my life. So when he says that it would be wise to keep the bond together until this is over, I believe him."

"Albus Dumbledore is a very wise wizard." Jane agreed.

"Well if this whole thing pans out, then what?" she asked. "Do we just go back to the way things were?"

"We can." I said. "If it's what we want in the end. But I think we should dwell on that when the time comes. For now, we need to prepare for what's happening at this moment. Voldemort could have someone here right now for all we know."

She nodded in agreement. "Okay."

"Fantastic! Now that we've gotten all of that out of the way, let's get Harry settled in." Edward said enthusiastically.

Hermione gave her father a wide-eyed look. "What?"

"Well we can't have Harry stay at a hotel when we've got a perfectly adequate loft over the garage." Edward said with a smile.

"He's going to be staying _here_?" She asked in shock.

"Apparently so." I said with a smile.

"But—"

"Hermione, your fiancée is going to be staying under our roof and that is final." Edward said with a wide grin. I snorted and Hermione let out a distasteful noise from her gaping mouth. "Go on and show him where he'll be staying, poppet."

"I will not!" She refuted.

"Hermione Jane, you will show Harry where he will be staying and that is final."

She groaned and got up, making a beeline for the doorway Jane had gone through to get the book. I quickly got to my feet and followed her. She moved pretty fast for someone who had just fainted. She led me through a narrow hallway and into a large kitchen decorated in oak countertops and state of the art technology that I had never seen in my life. I didn't have time to admire it, though, as she cruised directly through it and opened a door on the other side that lead outside. I inched through the door before it shut and saw we were in their side yard. A large expanse of pavement covered our path to a double door garage with an old net of some sort hanging just below a patio.

She moved to the side of the garage and I was quick to follow. There was a set of spiral stairs that led to a door near the roof. We ascended them and she pushed open the door letting herself in. I was right behind her and closed the door behind us as we stood inside the flat. She flipped a switch to her right and flooded the room with light. It revealed a medium-sized flat pre-decorated with oak furnishings and warm colored tapestries.

It wasn't much, but it was enough to suffice for my stay. There was a queen sized bed against the far wall covered with a wool blanket and a few ornate pillows. Just off to its right was a door that presumably led to a bathroom, but I couldn't be sure at first sight. The room created a small alcove in which a miniature kitchen with a few counters and a small metallic cupboard-looking thing were placed. A wardrobe was near me on my left directly parallel to the miniature kitchen with few sets of drawers for my clothes. The thing that interested me the most, though, was the large fireplace that was on mine and Hermione's right side, so close I could touch it.

I walked over to the brick fireplace and looked back at Hermione who now had her arms crossed over her chest and looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here.

"It's not much." She said evenly. "But it has all of your basic necessities."

She walked over to the room near the bed and tapped the door a few times. "This is the bathroom."

She turned and walked a few paces to the kitchen. She opened the metallic cupboard-thing and inside was a few bottles and cans. "The kitchen with a mini fridge stacked with soda and some other stuff that my parents like to drink. Butter-something."

"Butterbeer?" I asked excitedly.

She pulled out one of the glass bottles and read the label. "Yeah. You know it?"

"It's only the best drink on the face of the planet!"

She shrugged and put the bottle back in the "mini fridge" devise. It must be some Muggle machine designed to keep beverages from spoiling. She turned around, searching for something else to show me, but came up empty handed. She began to make her way to the door as she muttered, "Enjoy your stay at Chateau Granger."

"Wait!" I said as she began to turn the knob. She looked over at me with a bored expression. "Do you know if this fireplace is hooked up to the Floo network yet?"

"Excuse me?"

I sighed, forgetting that she still had much to learn about the Wizarding world. "Never mind, I'll ask your parents later."

She turned back around and opened the door to leave when I came up quickly next to her and placed my hand on her forearm, stopping her in her tracks. She turned and looked at me with a perplexed expression and I removed my hand from her arm, not realizing what I had done. I cleared my throat before speaking. "I'm sorry to inconvenience you, Hermione. I don't want you to think that I'm intruding or anything. This is all new to me, too."

Her expression softened a little. "It's fine I—I'm sorry for acting like a priss but it's not every day that a wizard shows up at your school and then your doorstep, claiming to be your fiancée and blowing up innocent pillows to prove himself."

I smiled a bit. "We both have a lot to learn from each other."

"That we do." She agreed. "Do wizards even know how to balance chemical equations?"

"Not at all." I said with a laugh. "I thought the professor was speaking in another language."

She chuckled. "Well perhaps I can save you from failing if it turns out you're telling the truth."

"It would be much appreciated."

"Good." She said with a nod. "Well, goodnight Harry. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight Hermione." I replied.

She exited swiftly and I heard her feet colliding with the stairs as she descended. I walked a few steps to a nearby window facing the pavement and saw her fleeing toward the kitchen. I smiled softly and closed the velvet curtains before making my way to the bed. I sat down and sank into the soft mattress, letting myself fall backwards and staring up at the ceiling for a few moments, the events of the day finally sinking in.

_Hermione Granger is a spitfire, that's for sure. _I thought._ I don't know how I'm going to go about teaching her magic. I have N.E. to prepare for, my professors back at Hogwarts sending me notes and coursework to complete, I have to manage to get by in this weird Muggle school, and I have to teach a seventeen-year-old girl everything I know about magic before Voldemort shows up._

I picked up one of the pillows behind me and buried my face in its fluffy depths.

I was in way over my head.

**A/N: Thank you all for your amaizing reviews! Your feedback makes me feel special :) A very special thanks to my beta Vincent. Without him this chapter would be shit.**

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	5. Oh My God

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Oh My God**

"_Find a cure  
Find a cure for my life_

Oh my god  
Oh you think I´m in control  
Oh my god  
Oh you think it´s all for fun"  
- Ida Maria (Oh My God)

Harry Potter was a very strange boy.

The morning after his arrival, he burst into the kitchen holding a melted alarm clock asking if Cornish pixies were trapped inside. Now, I have no idea what they were but from the look on his face, they didn't seem very pleasant.

"What did you do to your alarm?" I asked in, well, alarm.

He looked at it oddly before answering. "Is that what this is called, an alarm?"

I nodded. "Yes…"

"Oh, well that explains everything." He said in relief. "Is this a Muggle devise?"

"Pardon?"

"Yes, Harry." My mother answered from her seat at the table. "It's meant to wake you up on time. I set it for school."

"That's very kind of you, Jane but," He broke off and held up the melted alarm, "it appears your efforts were no match for a cranky wizard who hides his wand under his pillow."

"That's perfectly alright, dear." She said with a small smile. "I'll pick you up another on the way home from work."

"You really don't have to." Harry said. "I'll just set a charm to—"

"Nonsense. There's a shop on the way back, it won't be any trouble."

"At least let me give you some money." He insisted.

"Absolutely not."

Harry backed off and tossed the alarm in the garbage bin. I focused my attention back on the toast and marmalade on my plate as I heard him rummage through the fridge.

"Well, we must be off." My mum said, taking a final sip of her coffee. "Long day ahead of us, right dear?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, of course." My dad said tiredly as he pushed back his chair and began to follow her out the door.

"Goodbye sweetheart." My mum called.

"Bye mum!" I called after her just before she closed the door.

The kitchen was eerily silent after their departure, the only sound being Harry's rummage through the fridge. I tuned that out within a few moments and set to enjoying my own breakfast. The relaxing atmosphere was short lived, however, when Harry's hesitant voice spoke from within the fridge.

"Hermione?"

"What is it, Harry?" I asked without looking up from my plate.

"How do Muggles go about eating breakfast?"

I turned around to see him holding a case of pudding in one hand and head of lettuce in the other. I raised an eyebrow and he shrugged, glancing between the two food items.

"You really are completely clueless, aren't you?"

"It would damage my pride if I answered that accordingly."

I clicked my tongue and took pity on him. Even I couldn't function without a good breakfast to back me up. I pushed back my own food and walked up to Harry, grabbing his choice of breakfast out of his hands and placing them back in the fridge. I pulled out a carton of eggs, milk, and a loaf of bread. Walking over to the stove, I went about making him the same thing I had ten minutes ago: eggs and toast.

I heard his footsteps behind me and stiffened. Turning around I saw him watching intently as I scrambled the eggs into a bowl I had pulled from the cupboard. He saw that I was watching him and looked at me with a silly grin.

"So you're going to save the clueless wizard from the clutches of Muggle breakfast food?" He asked coyly.

I gave him a look. "No. I'm going to fix a bumbling moron his breakfast so he doesn't starve to death."

He rolled his eyes. "I could make breakfast with my wand you know."

"Then why don't you?"

"I'm too lazy to run back to my room and get it and apparating gives me a headache, that's why." He replied. "Besides, I need to learn to act like a Muggle anyhow, and what's more Muggle than cooking your own food?"

I set down the whisk that was in my hand and crossed my hands about my chest. "Well, I'm not teaching you a thing until you tell me what a 'Muggle' is. Is it some sort of derogatory name used to describe someone who is incompetent? Because I'll have you know—"

"Whoa, slow down slugger." He said with his hands up in the air. "'Muggle' is just a term wizards use to describe non-magic folk."

"Then when you said 'the Muggle way'..."

"I meant the non-magical way, yes."

I paused for a moment. "Then why don't you just say that?"

"It's quite a mouthful. Besides, Muggle has a certain ring to it."

I snorted. "It sounds like a rodent or something to me."

Harry laughed a little under his breath but stopped before I could fully observe the sound. "So what are you making?"

"Eggs and toast, the _non-magical way_." I said as I turned back around and began whisking the eggs once more.

"Cheeky." He said as he came up to the counter beside me and observed as I poured the eggs onto the warm pan atop the stove. "You'll come to use it one day, I guarantee it."

"The day I say 'Muggle' in everyday conversation is the day I fly on a broom."

"I'll hold you to that."

I smirked. "Good, because it's a very, very slim chance."

I placed the piece of bread I had taken from the bag into the toaster and pressed down the lever to lower it into the heated panels. Harry observed the action acutely as a small smile spread on his face. "It's so fascinating."

"What is?"

"You have so many tools for everything—so many machines."

"Well, they make life easier." I said as I leaned back on the counter by the stove.

"So does a wand." He replied, coming to stand next to me.

"I'll believe it when I see it." I said, turning around to stir the eggs a bit.

"At least you're open to it now and not in full-out denial."

"It's hard to argue with documentation and exploding pillows." I confessed. "There's still a part of me that thinks this is all mad."

"It's understandable. Wizards have always been very secretive about their existence, it's a wonder you know about them at all." He mused.

"Mmm." I mumbled quietly as I finished stirring the eggs.

"So are you going to explain what you're doing?"

"It's common sense, Harry." I said patiently as I went to grab a plate. "Just watch what I'm doing and you should remember."

He remained quiet after that. I finished his breakfast quickly and stepped back, looking at him expectantly. He caught my eye and nodded. "Okay, one question."

"Yes?"

"How do you work that thing?" He pointed to the stove behind me.

"You turn the knob to the appropriate temperature and cook on the corresponding panel. You see how this knob is turned to medium-high? Its corresponding panel is the one the eggs are on."

He nodded. "Okay. So it's like a heating charm?"

"Sure." I said carefully. It sounded right enough. "The toaster is similar. You just put a piece of bread into it, turn the knob to how you want your toast, and wait for it to resurface."

"Wait, what do you mean by—"

The toaster chose then to pop out his toast. I smiled slightly and saw comprehension dwell on his face. I grabbed the toast and put it on the plate next to the eggs.

"Oh, you meant it literally."

"Of course."

He smiled and took the plate out of my hands. "Thank you, Hermione. I promise I won't bother you about breakfast again."

"It's fine. We have ten minutes before we have to leave anyway."

I walked back to the table before he could respond and picked up my toast, finishing it off with a few bites. Harry just stood there and inhaled his eggs like it was the first meal he'd had in weeks. I shook my head absentmindedly and took my plate to the sink to rinse off. Harry was close behind me with his now empty plate. I looked at him in shock and he gave me an innocent look.

"It was delicious."

"Erm, thanks."

I took the plate from him and rinsed it off. It amazes me how quickly males can digest food without getting sick. There must be something inside their stomachs that acts as an impromptu black hole, engulfing the food to make room for ten times more than humanly possible.

I turned to the clock and then to Harry. "We should get going."

"I thought you said we had ten minutes?"

"Yes, well, I like to be early."

"Whatever you say."

I grabbed my bag and keys from the island and looked behind my shoulder to make sure that Harry was behind me. It only occurred to me then that he was still in his pajamas. He was giving me a lopsided grin and I sighed, putting my bag back down.

"Hurry up and get dressed, then."

He bustled out of the kitchen and I ground my teeth together in annoyance. It was going to be odd, having another person living under the same roof. I was so used to leaving when I was ready and now I had a new stranger to lug around. Well, according to that document my mum pulled out last night, he wasn't exactly a stranger. Gods, I couldn't even think of him as my fiancé without giving myself a headache, much less a wizard who had no idea how to cook over a hot stove. Part of me, like I voiced before, still thought this was all madness and part of some ploy to get me to be more trusting or something equally as ridiculous. But what he did with that throw pillow was hard to explain. If this was all an act, it was a damn good one.

My parents would never do anything to harm me, and that includes lying. They had tried to throw this whole wizard thing on me before, but my brain always shut down whenever they tried. Science was right, everything they were saying was not, and that is how it has always been—how I had been raised believing. If all of this was real, why were they telling me it now? Their association with the Order of the Phoenix, Harry my fiancé, and everything that follows was something short of a miracle to believe even a little bit. If it was really for my protection, wouldn't I be better off knowing what I was against? Harry wasn't taken away to a non-magical neighborhood and raised without magic, so why was I?

So many questions without answers it made me sick. I think the only reason I'm not pulling my hair out in anguish is the prospect that they will all be answered in time. But first, I need to get rid of every doubt in my mind that magic is real. I _want_ to believe it so, contrary to what my parents and Harry think. But with a logical mind like mine, it's very difficult to do so. I need proof that I can perform magic before Harry teaches me anything else. I need him to prove that he is trustworthy enough to believe that he really is magical. Hopefully our trip to the wand shop this weekend will put at least a few of these things into perspective so we can move on.

"Ready to go?" Harry's voice pulled me out of my revere.

"Yeah." I said, picking up my bag and keys once more and heading out towards my car. Harry was a few feet behind me but I heard him stop when we came into view of the vehicle that would be transporting us to school that day.

"Holy shit."

I turned back to him and saw his mouth open practically to the pavement. "Have you ever seen a car?"

"Well, yeah, my friend's dad enchanted one to fly once but never one like _this_."

I smiled in triumph. "Yes, it is quite a beauty isn't it?"

"We're going to school in this thing?"

"Well yeah."

"You can _drive_ this thing?"

"That would explain the keys in my hand."

"Holy. Shit."

"Harry, close your mouth and get in the car."

"It's not even a car. It's more like a miniature dragon."

"Whatever. Just get in."

He obeyed and followed me towards the car, getting in the passenger side while I put my bag in the backseat. When I got back to the steering wheel, Harry was busy studying the interior of my car with wide eyes, almost like a kid in a candy store. I looked at him amusedly before turning the keys in the ignition and starting the car. That was enough to startle him and focus his attention on the cause of the rumbling noise.

"It _is_ a dragon."

"No, Harry, it's not. It's a Jeep."

I shifted the gear to reverse and backed us out of the driveway and onto the street. In no time at all, we were traveling on the road and Harry was looking as though he was in a whole other world. I tried not to look over at him too much, but his expressions were just priceless. I figured we needed conversation, so I said the first thing that came to mind.

"When I told you to get ready, I meant all of you."

He craned his neck to face me. "What do you mean?"

"Your hair, it's all askew. Didn't you brush it?"

He chuckled. "Nope, I didn't even attempt to tame this mop. It never listens to me."

"It must be a pain."

"Not really." He said, brushing his bangs out of his eyes with one hand. "I've gotten used to it over the years. Besides, most birds find it attractive. Makes it look like I just got done flying. Some guys spend hours trying to get their hair like this. Sure, it's a pain, but it's worth it."

"Ah." I said, nodding. We arrived at a stoplight and I turned to look at him. He was still fiddling with his hair. I could tell that he only half meant what he had just said. If he really thought it was worth it then he wouldn't be trying to change it. I had quite the untamable mane myself, so I knew these things. As he was messing around with his ebony locks, I saw a slight discoloration on his forehead that I hadn't noticed before.

"What's that on your forehead?" I asked curiously.

His hand immediately froze in midair and he twisted his neck again to look at me. "You mean my scar?"

I nodded. "Yeah. It looks kind of like a… a lightning bolt."

The side of his lip curved only just. "I got it when I was a baby, the night my parents were murdered."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up."

"It's fine." He said breezily. "I'm more accustomed to people recognizing me by my scar, actually. If it took you this long to notice it, you're alright in my book."

"And why is that?"

"You've been looking me in the eyes rather than the mark on my head."

"Why would I look at your forehead when I talked to you?"

He sighed. "Some people only see the fame and… _oh_. I forgot. You don't even know who I am, do you?"

"Yes I do." I protested. "You're Harry Potter, a wizard and my long-lost fiancé."

He chuckled deep in his throat. "I'm much more than that, Hermione."

"What do you—?" I heard a car horn behind me and looked up to see the light was green. I reacted accordingly and leaned my foot on the gas. _I wonder how long it's been green, _I thought to myself.

The school was only a few blocks away and we reached it in silence. I pulled up to my parking space and shut down the car, reaching behind me to grab my bag. Before I opened my door to get out, though, I turned back to Harry.

"What did you mean back at the light?"

"I'll tell you later." He said carefully. Seeing my reproachful look, he continued with a much needed "I promise."

His words were enough for me. I opened the door and saw that he did the same. Locking the car behind us, we walked side-by-side into the school. Since we had first period (and every other one…) together, we never separated as we made our way to Mr. Cain's classroom. It was vacant, of course, but I set my stuff down regardless. It wasn't the first time I was the first to class.

"So is this how it is every day?" Harry asked from behind me. "You, alone in the classroom?"

"No. Kat usually shows up a few minutes after I do."

"Kat… is that the girl you were sitting at lunch with yesterday?"

"Yes. She's my best friend."

"Ah."

There was something in his eyes that seemed off. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He lied.

I took a few steps closer to him and studied his face. It came to me after a few moments. "You miss your friends back home, don't you?"

He looked surprised for a moment, but it quickly faded as he nodded slightly. "Yeah, I do."

"What're their names?"

"Well, I have two best friends, Ginny and Ron Weasley. They're siblings, one year apart with Ron being the elder of the two."

I smiled fondly. "Are you close?"

"Very. We've known each other since I can remember. Their parents and some of their older siblings are part of the Order."

"Wow. So it's like a family business."

He chuckled. "Sort of, sure. It's kind of had to refute such an honor, though, when you're one of seven."

"_Seven?_"

"Yup, seven Weasley children and one grandchild on the way courtesy of Bill and his wife Fleur."

"That's so sweet. I would love to have a big family like that one day."

"Really?" He asked.

"Sure. Not with seven children, though. I think I would go mad. I would be perfectly content with four."

"Same here." He agreed, sitting on the desktop. "To be perfectly honest, though, I just want to be a dad someday."

I mimicked his position on the desk in front of his. "You don't hear that a lot from guys nowadays. They're all about sex and no commitment."

"I'm all for that now." He said cheekily. "But in the future, it would be nice to have a nice family to come home to. For now, being a seventeen year old boy with needs will suffice."

I snorted. "Pig."

He shrugged. "I'm used to it."

I giggled a bit into the palm of my hand.

"_Hermione_?" A high-pitched voice asked from behind Harry.

I looked over Harry's shoulder to see Kat with aflabbergasted look on her smooth features. I realized what this must look like to her. Just yesterday I was complaining about having this guy staring at me and now I was in an animated conversation with him about families. It must have been like a scene out of the Twilight Zone for her.

"Hey Kat." I greeted as merrily as I could. "You've met Harry."

"Not formally." Harry corrected. He turned to face Kat. "Hello Kat."

"Um, hi." She said nervously. "Hermione, can I talk to you for a second?"

"What about?"

"I'm sure you know what about."

I bit my lip and nodded, looking at Harry for a brief moment. "Excuse us."

"Certainly." He said with a slight bob of his head.

I slid off the desk and followed Kat out into the slightly crowded hallway. She led me to a few steps past the door and leaned against the wall. I stepped in front of her and crossed my arms about my chest, mentally preparing myself for the slew of questions she was going to throw my way.

"What the _hell_." She said in a hushed tone. "Yesterday you were weirded out beyond belief of this guy and now you're talking to him as though he's your best friend."

"I can explain."

"No need. I know _exactly_ what's going on here."

"You do?" I asked in confusion.

"Of course." She said with a smile. "You finally saw the light and are going for it! I knew you had it in you."

"What are you—oh. _Oh_. No, that's not it at all." I said quickly. "He's just, erm, how can I put this… an old family friend. Yeah. My parents knew his parents and I guess we were _really_ close when we were younger."

"Really?" She asked, looking unconvinced.

"Oh yeah. Practically married."

Oh, irony.

She raised an eyebrow. "Why did you act so weird about him yesterday, then?"

"Well, I didn't know then." I explained smoothly. "He showed up at my house after school and him and my parents explained the whole thing. Apparently his uncle wanted him to experience a real school and sent him over here to do it."

I was quite surprised that I came up with that in two seconds.

"What do you mean by 'real school'?"

Crap. "Oh, he was, erm, homeschooled. Yeah, that's it. Homeschooled."

"And you said his uncle sent him here?"

"Yeah."

"What about his parents?"

"They were mur—they passed away when he was a baby."

That little fact seemed to catch her off guard enough to discard my horrible lying. "Oh the poor thing."

I nodded. "And now he's here."

"Is he staying at a hotel or something? Oh that would be so _sad_! I could ask my parents if he could stay over…"

"That won't be necessary." I interrupted before she could get any more crazy ideas. "My parents set up the flat above the garage for him to live in for the school year."

"He's living in _your house_?" She asked in awe.

"Erm, yes?"

"Oh Herm, you're so lucky, having him live under the same roof as you! All of that hotness within sprinting distance must be so exciting."

"Yeah, it's a real thrill." I said dryly. "Just please don't be too overbearing. He's still new here and isn't very familiar to our… customs."

"Is home school really that different than here?" She asked.

"I guess."

She grinned. "No problem. Call me Miss Sensitivity."

"Thank you, Kat."

With that, the two of us returned to the classroom to see Harry sitting at the same spot and looking down at something. Not wanting to give him a heart attack, I put more weight into my steps to alert him of our presence in the room. It worked like a charm. He looked over his shoulder and gave me a shy smile.

"So, what did you girls talk about?"

"Nothing important." I said casually.

I could tell he didn't believe me, but he let it be. I took up my original seat and motioned for Kat to join us. She seemed more than happy to sit down on the desk parallel to mine and look directly at Harry. He smiled politely at her and I had to suppress a laugh. Now that I was on speaking terms with Harry, she would take any opportunity she could to get him into her arms. It's just the way Kat was. It also explained why I hadn't had a boyfriend for five years and could never hang onto male friends.

"So Harry, where are you from?" She asked in that high-pitched voice she saved for flirting. Oh jeeze.

"Well I grew up in northwestern London with my godfather near Kings Cross." He answered carefully, trying not to say anything that may sound suspicious.

"So you really didn't have to come far, eh?"

"It seems farther."

"I can only imagine. I moved here when I was six from Bristol with my mum after my parents' divorce."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

She waved it off. "He was a drunk anyway."

I squirmed a bit in my seat and Harry caught my eye. I shot him a smile but a tuft of platinum hair caught my attention before either of us could speak. I waved at Drake to join our conversation, thinking that it would be better to have someone to distract me from Kat's ridiculous flirting techniques. He gave me a smile and started walking over to us. What happened next was very hard to explain, but I'll do my best.

Harry, seeing me wave Drake over, turned around to look behind him at the new addition. As soon as he laid eyes on Drake, he stopped moving and the two stared at each other for longer than two strangers ever have in the history of chivalry. I saw the muscles in Harry's back constrict with tension. Drake's demeanor changed as well; the hand that was gripping his bag's strap tightened to the point where the skin turned pale with strain. And all of this happened after one glance. Call me kooky, but something strange was definitely going on.

The moment passed after what seemed like hours. Drake lifted his eyes to mine and mumbled something under his breath before turning around and walking back out the door.

"Well that was odd." I said aloud.

"I think I should see what's wrong with him. Unless Hermione wants to check up on him?" She finished suggestively. I gave her a look. "No? Okay, I'll be right back."

She slid off her desk and pranced (and I mean that as literal as you can get) out of the room, her pleaded skirt lifting up just enough so that anyone could see the hem of her underwear. I looked after her and then turned my attention back to Harry. He was still looking out in the direction Kat went and I tapped his shoulder gingerly. He flinched and turned back to me.

"Are you al—?"

"How do you know that guy?" He interrupted.

I looked at him strangely for a second before answering. "Um, he goes to our school? Oh, and I spent the summer with him at Tom's Café where we both had summer jobs."

"How long has he been here?"

"What do you mean?"

"When did he transfer here?"

I raised an eyebrow. "How did you know he transferred here?"

"Just answer the question, please." He sounded like he was practically begging.

"I think it was the middle of last year, right after Christmas holiday. He transferred from some fancy boarding school in Scotland. A real snooty place, apparently. Only had one teacher he got along with. Professor Sn—"

"Snape." Harry finished.

I felt a very weird sensation settle in my stomach. "How do you know that?"

He chuckled darkly. "Because that fancy boarding school he transferred from is Hogwarts."

"No." I said slowly. "No, he said it was Durmstrang."

"He wishes." He said with a snort. "What did you say his name was?"

"I didn't. It's Drake Malloy."

He laughed again.

"What is so funny? You can't honestly believe he's from _Hogwarts_?"

"Yes, I can." He said seriously. "Because his real name is Draco Malfoy and he's trying to make you fall in love with him."

**A/N: Thank you all for the fabulous reviews that I've been getting these past few weeks! I read each and every one of them and they have really helped me get up the motivation to write this chapter. Also, a big thanks to my beta Vincent as well! He's the rock to my roll :)**


	6. Strange

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Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Strange**

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"_A freak of nature, stuck in reality  
I don't fit the picture, I'm not what you want me to be...sorry._

Under the radar, out of the system,  
Caught in the spotlight, that's my existence,  
You want me to change, but all I feel is...

Strange, Strange  
In your perfect world,  
Sooo strange, strange  
I feel so absurd in this life,  
Don't come closer, in my arms,  
Forever you'll be strange, strange"  
Tokyo Hotel & Kerli (Strange)

She started laughing immediately after I spoke. I gave her a moment to compose herself and she did so only after placing a hand over her chest. She seemed to do that quite often when she experienced strong reactions to things.

"Trying to make me fall in love with him? You're joking."

I shook my head. "Why would I joke about something like this?"

"Look Harry, I respect you trying to protect me even if we've only known each other for less than twenty-four hours, but this is ridiculous. Drake has been going here for a while and I think if he actually was trying to make me fall in love with him, he would have succeeded by now."

"You really think so?" I asked doubtfully. "He has you right where he wants you. He's gained your trust, gotten you to consider him a friend… he's taking it slower than I anticipated, but I didn't know he was even here to begin with."

"Of course you didn't, you've never met him before this. You were too busy observing me to pay attention to anything else."

I felt my face heat up as I bowed my head. "Sorry that I was a little distracted by the reason I came here in the first place. It's a wonder he escaped my attention before, actually. I'd recognize that greasy head of hair anywhere."

"So obviously you're thinking of someone else. Sure, you may know someone like him, but that doesn't mean that Drake is who you think he is."

"Hermione, it's him. Trust me."

She gave me a look. "I can't do that, Harry. I don't know how they do it where you come from, but here in non-magical-land you don't trust someone after only knowing them for less than a day."

She had a point there. "I understand why you may think this is crazy, but I am telling the truth. This Drake Malloy character that Draco has come up with is a mask to hide behind so he can transfer the bond to the Death Eaters."

"Again with these 'Death Eater' people! Are they some kind of cult or something?"

I chuckled. "I suppose you could call them that. You remember Voldemort, the bad guy who wants to use our bond for himself?"

"Yes…"

"Well, the Death Eaters are his followers. They support what he is trying to make of the Wizarding community and fight alongside him. So our bond would get transferred to them."

"What is he trying to make of the community?" She asked.

"I'll tell you that later. For now, I need you to accept that Drake Malloy isn't who he says he is."

"I can't do that, Harry!" She said in frustration. "He's my friend. I can't just overlook that because you're accusing him of trying to use me. Right now, it's his word over yours."

"That's not fair." I said dangerously, pointing a finger at her. "Of course he's going to deny it. Now that he knows I'm here, he's only going to try and turn you against me. It doesn't help that we've hated each other for years, so he'll do it even faster than originally planned."

"Well good luck with that, then." She said, swatting my raised finger away from her face.

"You're not even going to consider the fact that you're just a pawn in his chess match of doom?"

She snorted. "No, but nice analogy."

I rolled my eyes. "Hermione, you really need to tone down the stubbornness."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Can't. Once my mind is set, it stays that way. I'm sorry if it's a nuisance."

I placed a hand on my forehead. I could feel a headache coming on. The girl was an obstinate spitfire. Her reasons were plausible, yes, but the fact that I knew I was right made it all the more frustrating that she refused to believe me. Draco Malfoy was here and he had Hermione in the palm of his hand without her thinking twice about it. There had to be a way I could prove to her that he was who I accused him of being. The sooner she accepted it, the sooner we could get him out of the way and this whole thing could be over with. If he was the instigator that Voldemort had sent to infiltrate the bond, then the only thing standing between and Hermione and I moving on with our former lives was his slimy grasp on her trust.

Goddamn it, why couldn't she just let down her walls for me just once?

"Harry?"

I looked up and saw Hermione's chocolate brown eyes—a trait I was just now noticing—looking at me with concern. When she saw that I was alright, her demeanor shifted.

"I'm sorry if I'm a pain, but it's just the way I am. How would you feel if one of your friends was accused of being a Death Eater?"

"Angry." I answered honestly. "But this is different, I swear it!"

"How?" She asked hotly.

"Because I'm right!" I snapped.

Her jaw clenched. "You're not doing much to help your argument, Harry."

"Hermione please just _listen_ to me. Drake Malloy is Draco Malfoy, a slimy snake who despises the ground I walk on, as well as anyone else who has any association with the word Muggle. His father is a Death Eater, and he is in the running to becoming one himself. I'm sure that after he turns you in to his master, he'll be granted just that."

The skin on Hermione's forehead creased and I thought I had finally gotten to her. Of course, she stomped on that hope with a few heated words. "Just drop it, Harry."

Of course, at that exact moment, Kat reentered with Draco (_I am not referring to him as "Drake". That's just stupid._) in tow. We shared another brief, knowing glare before he sat down next to Kat. I ground my teeth together in frustration and turned away from them, too irritated to speak. If only Hermione were more like the other girls I came into contact with - easily manipulated, effortless to put up an argument - it would be no problem at all.

But Hermione wasn't like any of those other girls. She was different. And as of now, I couldn't have resented her more for it.

I tuned out the unimportant conversation going on around me using a technique Dumbledore had taught me a few years back. Quite a handy trick in times like these. Instead of listening to the petty Muggle conversation being held around me, I could focus more on contemplating how I was going to get Hermione to listen to me. She had to have a breaking point, everyone did. But, then again, Hermione wasn't just anyone, as she had made perfectly clear when she was defending Draco.

"Don't you think so, Harry?"

"Hmm, what?" I asked, turning around to see Kat looking at me oddly.

"I was saying that we should all go out this weekend, the four of us." Kat repeated.

"I don't think that would be a good idea." I said frankly.

"Why not?" she asked with a pout expert enough to rival a newborn puppy.

"Hermione and I have plans." I blurted. Kat and Draco looked at me with mixed expressions while Hermione remained neutral, knowing I was speaking the truth. "We're going shopping to get her some things."

"What kind of things?" Kat asked suspiciously.

"Just some supplies for school." Hermione chimed in. I looked at her with what I hoped to be a thankful expression. "He needs to pick up some things as well. He only just arrived yesterday."

Her words seemed to sedate Kat. Draco, on the other hand, was less convinced.

"Well what do you need to pick up? Maybe we could help."

"No." I said quickly. Draco looked at me with his cool silver eyes narrowed.

"Thank you for the offer, Drake, but Harry and I really need to do this alone." Hermione said kindly.

Draco looked over at Hermione and his face softened. "Who am I to keep from two friends bonding, eh?"

I held back from responding to that for appearance sake. It wouldn't look good if I reached across and began to strangle him, no matter how much I wanted to. Draco knew why I was here and the only reason he wasn't intervening was to keep up appearances. The slime ball.

The conversation was then dropped and soon after, the bell rang to signify the start of class. I tried my best to pay attention, but Mr. Cain lost me after he opened a discussion on the uses of metonymy in modern literature.

I was lucky enough not to be called upon throughout the period once again by the time class ended. No one was in a rush to get out of the classroom except for me and a certain snitch with blond hair. I followed him outside the door, slithering through the few people that stood between us. He was only a few feet in front of me by the time we reached a darkened alcove. It was only natural what came next. I rushed up behind him and shoved him into the niche.

"What the bloody—ah, Potter, I was wondering when you were going to confront me. Took you long enough, mate."

"Do _not_ call me mate. I will not and will never be your friend. Especially in these circumstances."

"And what circumstances are you refereeing to?" He asked slyly.

"Don't play dumb, Malfoy. You hate Muggles. You wouldn't be here unless you had other motives."

"Perhaps I've changed."

"Highly unlikely."

He smirked. "You have it all figured out then, do you?"

"It's not that hard to distinguish. You were sent here to make Hermione fall in love with you so the bond between her and I would be transferred to your kind. Although I can't imagine why. You haven't been able to do anything right since I've known you."

"Well all of that is about to change. I have Hermione right where I want her. You couldn't have come at a better time, really. Now you get to see your fiancée fall in love with another man."

"That's not going to happen, Malfoy. Not now, not ever." I growled.

"Oh?" He asked curiously. "Did you tell her all about me already?"

"Of course I did. As soon as I saw you." I said smugly.

His demeanor changed a fraction. "And how did she take it?"

I wanted to lie, but it wasn't in my wiring. "She's a stubborn witch."

His confidence returned. "You see? I'm almost there. All I have to do is take her out on a few dates and she'll be so in love with me that she'll forget all about your precious bond."

"You can try. I won't let that happen." I said darkly. "I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure of it."

"I'm shaking." He said mockingly, adding in a faux shiver for unneeded emphasis.

"You should be." I said with a nod. "Good luck trying to win her over my dead body."

"That can be arranged."

I shot him a sneer before turning around and heading to my next class.

Well, that cleared up any thoughts in my head that his being here was a huge coincidence. I just knew he hadn't gotten the Wizard Flu during Christmas holidays last year! This is where he has been, befriending Hermione and screwing up any chances I had of steering her clear of danger. Her life was already at risk and had been for months without anyone knowing it. Looks like every move that the Order made was ten steps behind what Voldemort was planning.

I really had my work cut out for me. But I stood by what I said to Malfoy: I would not let her be swayed by his smooth talk and innocent ruse. He may have been doing well for a fair amount of time, but that was before I got here. He still had yet to face the wrath of Harry Potter. By the end of the week, I would have Hermione on my side and out of harm's way before you could say Buckbeak.

Hermione remained an immovable rock on the subject of Draco being the one I had been sent to stop. Every time I brought it up, she simply changed the subject and refused to acknowledge that I had said anything at all. She also showed no sign of weakness on the subject. The woman was still hesitant that she was a witch for Merlin's sake! Looks like I wouldn't be making my deadline anytime soon, but at least I had a solution for the second problem.

Today was Saturday, the day I had planned on taking Hermione to Diagon Alley to purchase her wand.

I was up bright and early for once, setting my new alarm clock for six in the morning sharp. Thankfully, instead of waking up to the cacophony of screeches that sounded too similar to a Cornish Pixie's cry, this alarm eased me awake with the sounds of a Muggle radio station that seemed to always play a soft song whenever it was time for me to wake up. I was up, dressed, and making breakfast over a hot wand just before Jane and Edward left for work. I was in the middle of levitating sausages over a heated plate that I charmed myself when I heard the soft padding of bare feet against the wooden floor.

I craned my neck over my shoulder and saw Hermione clad in plaid flannel pajama bottoms and matching button-up top. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were half-open, signs that she had only just gotten out of bed.

It took her a moment to notice I was there. Only after rubbing her eyes a few times did she speak up. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I wanted to get an early start." I replied, turning the sausages over with a flick of my wand. "Today is our trip to Diagon Alley. If you react in any way like I did my first trip there with my godfather, we'll be there a while."

"I thought we were just going to buy a wand?" She asked, taking a seat at the table.

"Well there are many other things there as well, so we may get sidetracked a bit. Luckily, I've prepared for this and asked your parents to leave you some extra money to exchange at Gringotts."

"What's Gringotts?"

"Wizarding bank." I replied. "We're going there first before we do anything. I need to make a withdrawal myself."

"And you say that I can exchange my money there? Do Wizards have a different currency than non-magic folk?"

"Oh yes. Completely different. I won't bore you with specifics, but I'm sure if you want to know more about it, the goblin in charge of the exchange station today will be willing to explain."

"G-goblin?" Hermione asked shakily. "Like the kind from the fairy tales?"

I gave her a look before finishing up the sausages and placing them on the two plates I had set out for the two of us. "Most things in the Wizarding World aren't anything like you've read about, Hermione. The goblins that run Gringotts are very intelligent creatures, but are also very cross. You wouldn't want to get on their bad side. In my History of Magic class back at Hogwarts, we spent two months on the goblin rebellions of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They're quite ruthless."

"And these are the creatures that run the bank?" She asked in a worried tone.

"I think it's more of an insurance policy. There isn't a safer place in the Wizarding community, except maybe Hogwarts."

Hermione nodded in understanding and looked over my shoulder at the plates I had been preparing. "Have you been cooking?"

I raised my wand and wordlessly summoned the two rolls I had set on the counter over to me to answer her question. She wrinkled her nose and I let out a short chuckle. No doubt she was thinking of a billion logical explanations for the charm I just cast.

"I'm much better at cooking with a wand in hand. My best mate's Mum, though. Man, can she do wonders with a wand and a few pots and pans."

She smiled a little. "I'll take your word on it."

I grabbed the two plates and walked them over to her, setting one of them on the table in front of her and the other across from the seat to her right. She took a bite out of one of the sausages and let out a pleasant noise.

"It's really good." She complimented, finishing off what was left on her fork.

"Thanks." I said proudly.

The rest of breakfast was filled only with the sound of food being consumed. Our conversations had been strained the past few days thanks to the Drake-Draco situation. Not that we had many chats to begin with, but it was still a noticeable difference. From what I gathered, we got along rather well when we weren't talking about the circumstances we were in. We may have even been on the road to becoming friends. But all that was nil at the moment.

As soon as Hermione finished, she excused herself to get ready. I put both of the plates into the sink and rinsed them off after she left. As I waited for her to finish up, I let myself coast to the living room and collapse onto the couch. I hadn't realized I'd drifted off until I felt a hand on my shoulder, shaking me awake.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"I thought you wanted to get an early start."

My eyes drifted open and I saw Hermione's humored face inches from my own. My senses perked as I let the haze of sleep disappear from my mind. "Sorry. I guess I dozed off."

"It looks like it."

I got up from the couch with Hermione close on my tail. "We'd best be off, then."

I led the both of us out of the house and the few meters away to the sidewalk outside. I heard Hermione lock the door and when she came up behind me, she spoke up. "How exactly are we getting to Diagon Alley, anyway? Don't you need me to drive?"

"No." I said shortly, reaching into my backside pocket and pulling out my wand. Hermione came to stand by my side and raised an eyebrow in question. "We're taking the bus."

"What bus?"

I stuck out my wand out towards the street. Within seconds, the familiar purple bus appeared literally out of nowhere. "The Knight Bus."

I looked over at Hermione, who had a look of bewilderment plastered on her face. "Where did this bus come from?"

I smirked. "Even I can't answer that. Now come on."

I climbed onto the bus and heard Hermione follow reluctantly behind. I had only taken the Knight Bus in the daylight a handful of times, so the sight of seats in the aisles rather than beds was slightly odd. I found a seat near the middle, Hermione taking the one directly across from mine.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Harry Potter." A cheery voice said from the front of the bus.

"Hello, Stan."

Stan Shunpike hadn't changed from the moment I met him—pimply, protruding ears, and a kind demeanor. Sirius had taken me on the Knight Bus for the first time when I was eleven, claiming it was the easiest way to get to the Leaky Cauldron. Since I never found a taste for using the Floo Network unless absolutely necessary, I had resulted to the Knight Bus ever since.

"Why aren't you at Hogwarts, lad? I thought for sure that you would be returning this year."

"Things changed." I replied smoothly.

"And who is your friend?" He asked suggestively, looking at Hermione with a pleased expression.

"Stan this is Hermione. Hermione, Stan."

"Pleasure." She said kindly.

He gave her a smile and then turned back to me. "The Leaky Cauldron, I presume?" I nodded in confirmation. "Eleven Sickles."

I reached into the pocket of my trousers and pulled out the money I had stowed in there for the trip. I had only brought along so much money with me when I was told where I would be spending my school year, not thinking I would need much. Thankfully, Hermione needing to make an exchange gave me the perfect opportunity to withdraw more money.

Stan took the money I handed him and returned back to the front of the bus. I looked over to Hermione who had a strange look on her face.

"Sickles… is that the money you use?"

"Sickles, galleons, and knuts." I explained.

She nodded. "I've never heard of the Leaky Cauldron. Where is it, exactly?"

"In the heart of London, I believe." I said thoughtfully. "Well, that's what I've gathered based on the length of the trip."

"What—?"

The bus jerked forward suddenly and both Hermione and I's bodies were thrown ahead into the backs of the seats in front of us. Since I was used to this, I had already come prepared with a shrunken cushion in my jumper's right pocket. I pulled it out and muttered the counter-charm to enlarge it. I felt a pair of eyes on me and after the bus hit a bump, saw Hermione looking at me keenly. I realized then that she expected me to pull out another pillow for her. Unfortunately, I hadn't thought about that aspect before getting on the bus. Thanks to my act-before-I-think complex, though, I handed over my pillow to her without hesitation. She gave me a thankful smile and used it the rest of the ride. I cursed inwardly at myself every time we hit a bump or made a sharp turn. I had nearly forgotten how painful the Knight Bus could be.

Thankfully, Hermione's house wasn't too far from our destination so I only had to bear about ten minutes of painful collisions with the seat and side of the bus.

I stumbled off of the bus clutching my right shoulder, which seemed to endure most of the more painful blows. Hermione stepped out just after me and I removed my hand from my shoulder for pride's sake. As soon as her feet touched the pavement, the door shut behind her and the Knight Bus was off into the far distance. Hermione looked behind her, as though she expected the bus to still be there. She shrugged when she saw nothing and held out the pillow she had been holding to me. I took it and shrunk it back down, putting it in my pocket once more.

"Thank you for letting me use it." She said softly. "It was very chivalrous of you."

"Uh yeah, sure." I said breezily. "Let's go before someone catches us lurking around an abandoned building."

I walked the few steps to the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron and held open the door for Hermione behind me. The inn was virtually empty and I let out a breath of relief, thankful that no one was around to swarm me with questions and autograph requests.

"What do you mean 'an abandoned building'? Sure, there isn't anyone here at the moment, but I don't think that—"

"To Muggles, the Leaky Cauldron takes the appearance of an abandoned building so that they won't enter. At least, that's what I've been told. No one really knows much about the enchantment on the place. It could just be invisible, but the hospital, St. Mungo's, takes the appearance of an abandoned building, so it's safe to assume."

"Ah."

I hurried through the building and went out the back door, just in case Tom was hiding behind the counter. Don't get me wrong, I like Tom, but I couldn't afford any distractions today, especially since Hermione had no idea how I got treated when in public. Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as it used to be, but since Voldemort's return, it was on its way to becoming dangerous.

I reached for my wand again and tapped the bricks that allowed us to pass through. They began folding onto each other in the familiar pattern that formed a passage to Diagon Alley. Hermione stood in place behind me, exhaling a large breath at the sight. I could only imagine how she must be feeling. Bricks that fold onto themselves are a sight to see, even to someone like me who has grown up with magic.

The bricks ceased in their movements and Diagon Alley stood before us. It wasn't very crowded, but there were still a fair amount of early risers prowling the streets. I stepped forward onto the cobblestone street and looked behind me to make sure Hermione was still following. She was, but as she walked, her eyes shifted from one thing to the other. I stopped for a moment to allow her to catch up and when she did, carefully tried to keep in step with her as we walked side-by-side, so if she accidentally tripped over a stray crate or something, I could prevent any injury.

Luckily, Gringotts was easy to find with it being the brightest and tallest building. I led the two of us to its front doors and into the extensive and ornate bank. I still had to slow my steps for Hermione, who seemed even more captivated by the inside of the bank than by the exteriors of the shops.

I approached the desk labeled "Exchanges" and gained the attention of the goblin behind it by clearing my throat. He looked at me wearily and asked, "What may I help you with?"

"My friend here would like to make an exchange of her Muggle money for the equivalent of our currency."

"And does your friend have an account at this bank?"

"No sir. She's, ahh, new to the Wizarding community. She hasn't set up a membership with the bank as of yet."

The goblin nodded. "I see. How much is she going to exchange today?"

I reached into my pocket and grabbed the money that Jane had given me to exchange. I handed the amount over to him and he counted it silently. I glanced over at Hermione, who was now finished with observing her surroundings and was instead enamored with watching the goblin count her parent's money.

"The amount comes to thirty galleons, two sickles, and fifteen knuts." The goblin said evenly.

He placed the Muggle money to the side and opened what seemed to be a drawer beneath the top of his desk. He pulled out the appropriate coins for the transfer and handed them over to me. I pocketed them and thanked him accordingly.

"Come on, Hermione, I have to do something before we continue."

"All right." She said, speaking up for the first time since we'd arrived.

I walked down the marble walkway to the end of the hall with Hermione by my side where the lead goblin was seated atop a raised desk. His eyes were already on me by the time I arrived.

"I wish to make a withdrawal." I said coolly.

"And do you have your key, Mister Potter?"

I nodded as I pulled my key out of the same pocked I kept the shrunken pillow, placing it atop the desk. The goblin took it and waved his arm. Within moments, the goblin Griphook appeared at his side. I had associated with Griphook for many years now, him being the only goblin that operated the underground tram within the bowels of the bank.

"Follow me, please." Griphook said.

I obliged and Hermione was stuck to my side, probably too nervous to speak. I wondered if all of this was too much for her to handle. When I spoke of the Wizarding World before, she'd seemed full of questions. Now, it was as though she was a mute. I decided to save that observation for a later time as Griphook lead us into the stone passageways leading to the vaults. A tram was already in place on the tracks and I climbed in. Hermione was more hesitant and I held out my hand.

"Come on, Hermione, it's okay. We're just going to my vault for a few minutes. It'll be fine."

She gave me a hesitant look, but took my hand nonetheless. Her skin felt warm against my own, which is saying something since I have a relatively high body temperature. It was a very pleasant experience to have her hand gripped in mine, but it was short lived as she climbed into the cart quickly and removed her hand before I could fully grasp what it was that went through my senses.

"Hold on." Griphook commanded.

I grabbed onto the edge of the cart and held tight. Hermione mirrored me, albeit nervously. But when the cart launched forward, I think she got the point of the order. The vast interconnected tracks felt like water the way we glided atop them. I had forgotten to warn Hermione about the speed of the carts as well. Oops. She didn't seem to be taking it too bad, though, if screaming at the top of her lungs counts as such.

We arrived at my vault within minutes. The cart jerked to a stop and Griphook opened the small flap of a door to open the fault, my key in hand. The circular metal door opened swiftly and I was greeted with the mounds of gold that my parents had left me with.

"Oh my God." Hermione said breathily. "I don't think I've seen that much gold in my life."

I chuckled. "Yeah, it's a bit excessive, but who am I to argue with my parent's wishes."

"Wait, your _parents_ left you with all of this?" She asked as I walked into the vault and grabbed a handful of galleons and a few sickles.

"Yup." I answered.

"Did they invent sliced bread or something?"

"No, the Potters have just been very well off since the beginning." I responded. "They're a very well respected family in the Wizarding community, or at least they were before Voldemort killed them all off. I don't know the full details, though."

"Wow."

I turned back and nodded at Griphook that I was finished. He closed the vault behind me and got back into the cart, waiting for me and Hermione to follow. I looked over at her and saw that she was still staring at the vault.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?" She said, looking at me dreamily.

"Let's go."

"Oh. Right."

She followed me back into the tram and immediately grabbed a hold of the metal side for dear life. I held back a laugh as we sped through the tunnels backward. The expression on her face was priceless. It looked to be a mixture between nausea and confusion; something I hadn't ever seen on a person's face before.

We arrived back on the ground floor of the bank and once again I had to slow my pace to keep up with Hermione, but not because she was transfixed with the wonders of the Wizarding World. This time she seemed to be a bit dizzy from the ride and kept teetering from one side to the other. By the time we exited the building, though, she seemed to be okay.

"That was unexpected." Hermione said carefully as we began walking. "This whole place is just… fascinating."

"Yeah. It's the epitome of Wizarding life."

"Really?" She asked. "You mean everything I see here is how life really is for you?"

"Pretty much."

"So the people in robes, the owls for sale, the supplies shop for some sport call Quick-fitch, they're all real?"

"Quidditch." I corrected. "And yes. Of course they're real. What, do you think I hired fifty people to roam the streets, a hundred goblin lookalikes to occupy the bank, and a set designer to convince you that you're a witch?"

"Well with the amount of gold in your vault, I wouldn't doubt it." She said. I gave her an exasperated look and she chuckled. "But it's highly unlikely you would be this elaborate."

"So you believe me?" I asked excitedly as we neared Ollivander's.

"In all aspects, yes, I do believe there is a Wizarding World, but I have yet to consider myself as a part of it."

"Well that's about to change." I said with a grin. I turned to my right and gestured to the sign. "Welcome to Ollivander's, it's time to meet your wand."

**A/N: Sorry for the late update. You can thank my beta for that. Haha, just kidding-love you, Vincent! Thank you all for your wonderful beyond wonderful reviews, they really make my day :)**


	7. Believe

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Believe**

"_So give me something to believe  
'Cause I am living just to breathe  
And I need something more  
To keep on breathing for  
So give me something to believe_"  
- The Bravery (Believe)

Ollivander's wand shop was unlike any store I had ever seen in my life. When Harry opened the door for me, I was expecting some sort of - well, I don't know what I was expecting, but it was nothing like what awaited me on the other side of the door. The walls were filled with stacks upon stacks of narrow boxes all in a mixed method of organization that was barely distinguishable. Towards the back, there was a wooden desk with various piles of papers and what looked like antique quills.

"Mister Potter." A wispy voice spoke. I looked around, trying to distinguish where it had come from. I heard a light sound of rolling from behind the desk and saw a man atop a rolling ladder glide to the edge of the shelf a few moments later, answering my question. He had silver hair and wore similar clothing to those I saw on the street earlier. He climbed down the few steps from the ground and turned around, a smile on his wrinkled face. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"I'm here to help my friend's wand find her." Harry responded.

Okay, even though he's said several times that it was the wand that finds the wizard, I still can't get used to it. I think just the idea is enough; the speaking of it just ruins the magic. Pun intended.

"Ah, a late bloomer." The man said knowingly.

I didn't know how to respond to that. Luckily, Harry stepped in and kept running his mouth. "That's right. Think you can help?"

" 'Can I help?' " He quoted mockingly. He turned back around and disappeared down a narrow hallway. I looked after him for a moment before giving Harry a look.

"That's Mr. Ollivander." Harry said, as if it explained everything.

"But the sign outside said that they had been making wands since 382 B.C." I said cautiously.

"It's a family business, I suspect." He said. "But wizards do have very long life expectancies, so he very well could be the original."

"Well, we should ask him." I said excitedly.

"Let's not."

"Why not?"

"Hermione, we're here to get you a wand, not ask a kind man how old he is."

I nodded. He did have a point. "You're right. Sorry."

We both heard steps approaching and turned to see Mr. Ollivander holding a pile of the thin cases that lined the walls. He placed them on his desk and gestured for me to step forward. I did so as he removed the top off of one of boxes, pulling out a thin stick that looked like it had been cut and carved to be sold at an art show rather than a small shop in London.

He held out the stick to me and I quickly realized that the stick was a wand. It became very clear as I examined it closely that wands were far more than a slick piece of black plastic capable of pulling a rabbit from a hat. This piece of wood just _looked_ powerful. It had an intricate design along the grip and was slick to the touch.

"Well don't just look at it. Go on and give it a wave." Mr. Ollivander said humorously.

I jerked back to reality and saw him and Harry looking at me expectantly. Startled, I waved the wand in what I thought was the appropriate manor and jumped when some of the papers that were atop Mr. Ollivander's desk flew off.

"Nope, not that one." Mr. Ollivander mumbled, seemingly to himself.

He plucked the wand from my hand and before I could unclench the grip I had in midair, placed a new one inside of the tiny hole my hand made. This one was darker in color and had no design at all. It looked to be a polished piece of wood with a painted handle. I waved it before either Harry or Mr. Ollivander had to instruct me so and felt a shock sting my hand so strong that I dropped the wand onto the floor.

"Hmm…" Mr. Ollivander mused. He bent over to pick it up and I massaged my hand tenderly, looking at Harry with wide eyes. He shrugged and I turned to take the wand Mr. Ollivander was handing me.

Within the next ten minutes, I tried over thirty wands. Each time I waved them, something destructive happened. They were all minor occurrences, surely, but still inflicted some sort of damage. After a while I began to grow angry.

"Well." Mr. Ollivander said tiredly. "Surely there is a wand here somewhere."

"No there isn't." I said helplessly, slumping to the ground. "It's hopeless. I'm not a witch, Harry. You've made a mistake in coming here. I'm sorry."

"Hermione, be reasonable." Harry said, lowering himself to his knees. "You're just a difficult half to complete is all."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" I asked offensively.

"No! I didn't mean it like — Hermione, no wizard finds their wand on the first go."

"Really?" I asked. "How many tries did it take you?"

"Well, three, but that—"

"Harry, I've ruined Mr. Ollivander's paperwork, shocked myself, blown up three glass vases, a display case, and the last five wands have just made fart noises!"

"I know it looks bad, but we're not leaving until you find your wand."

"No. I give up. I'm not a witch. I'm just a normal state school student with magical affiliation and nothing else."

"Don't say that." Harry said pleadingly. "Hermione, I _know_ you're a witch."

"How?" I asked. "Have you ever seen me do magic?"

"Well, no." he admitted. "But I can sense magic in you. I can see it in your eyes."

"_See it in my eyes_? Harry, you're beginning to sound like a cheesy book hero."

He shrugged. "Maybe I am. The point is that I'm not allowing you to give up. Mr. Ollivander, please go fetch some more wands for Hermione to try out."

"Right away, Mr. Potter." He responded before disappearing in the back for the umpteenth time.

"Hermione, look at me." Harry instructed. I looked up at him, but avoided looking in his eyes. "You're wand is going to find you, okay?"

"I still don't think that—"

"_Hermione_."

I sighed. "My wand is going to find me. Eventually."

He nodded. "Better."

He stood up and I heard his knees crack softly. He held out an arm for me to take and I did so hesitantly. I didn't want to cause any more damage than I already had, but apparently it was inevitable. All I hoped was that this was going to be well worth it in the end. Either that or Harry would accept that I was right, that I wasn't a witch, and we could return home.

"Okay, Miss Granger." Mr. Ollivander said from behind a tall stack of boxes. He set the pile down on the floor and smiled at me. "You are lucky it isn't the start of term."

I smiled back politely and watched him take another wand from its case. He handed it to me gingerly and I took it, half-expecting it to explode. But what actually happened was something else entirely. Instead of anything exploding, cracking, falling, or hurting me, I felt warmth fill my entire body starting from the hand gripping the wand down to my toes. Around me, a faint red glow appeared out of virtually nowhere, but I was too enamored with the wand in my hand to be concerned.

That was the first time I had felt magic run through me.

It felt as though something warm and pleasant was running through my veins at a million kilos an hour. There was no real way to explain the feeling that took over my senses from then on. The only way I can put it into any sort of word is by associating it with completeness. The wand made me feel complete. It was as though a new tier had been uncovered within my psyche that was previously under lock and key. From that moment on I knew what Harry and my parents said was true. There was something very different and special about me, something wonderful, yet scary at the same time.

I was a witch.

"Hermione?" Harry's voice was a dull murmur.

I turned around, acknowledging that I had heard him. He was smiling at me.

"Vine wood, dragon heartstring." Mr. Ollivander said fondly. "A very good fit for someone as hard to place as yourself."

I blushed.

"How much will that be, Mr. Ollivander?" Harry asked.

"Ah." He went around to his desk and fiddled around with the remaining papers on it. "That will be seven galleons."

I reached into my pocket and pulled out seven gold pieces and looked at Harry, who nodded that I had gotten the sum right. I promptly handed them to Mr. Ollivander and he thanked me as he wrapped up my wand and placed it in a mesh carrying case. I said the same in return and grabbed my new wand before following Harry out of the shop, though I still felt that I owed Mr. Ollivander an apology for destroying his store.

"Don't worry about it." Harry said, as though reading my mind.

"What?"

"First years getting their wands always mess up his shop one way or the other. He's used to it by now, I'm sure."

"Yes, but that doesn't make me feel any better for causing it." I said guiltily. "If I could just help him clean up a bit…"

"Hermione, we're on a schedule." He said in a clipped tone.

"We are?"

"No, not really." He said evenly, telling me that he was speaking the truth.

"Then why—"

Harry suddenly went rigid and looked around quickly. Before I could ask what was wrong, he shoved me into a nearby nook between two shops. My back collided with the brick of one of the buildings and I let out a grunt of impact. He pressed up against the wall parallel to mine and gestured to be quiet by placing his index finger atop his lips. I nodded and tried to read Harry's expression — it looked to be a mix between fear and anxiety. A sudden chill ran through me at the thought that something could have been after us back there. That certainly looked to be the case as Harry inched towards the road and peered left and right. Thankfully, he let out a large gust of breath and turned back to me.

"We need to get out of here."

"Care to share why?"

"I will as soon as we get back. First, we need to get back to the Leaky Cauldron as quickly as possible. Do you think you can do that for me?"

"Yes."

"Good."

We shuffled out of the nook and I followed Harry and a brisk pace towards the Leaky Cauldron. When we were about halfway there, I saw a shop on my left that looked especially inviting. I slowed my pace to look at the sign: Flourish & Blott's. In the display case, there were piles of newly released books, but not the kind that I saw in my local bookshop. These books had titles like _101 Ways to Make Your Wand Your Best Friend_ and _It's Okay to Like Pumpkin Juice — The New Liquid-Potion Diet!_ I found myself inching towards the door when I felt a hand on my shoulder. It spun me around and I saw Harry looking at me with an earnest expression.

"We'll go later, I promise." He said sincerely. "For now, we need to keep moving."

I nodded, remembering why we were walking this way to begin with. Harry was running from something, and it seemed to be very serious. I followed him a few more yards to The Leaky Cauldron and could only stop to catch my breath for a few moments as he tapped the corresponding bricks to let us inside the pub. They parted a lot quicker than I had seen before, or maybe I had been too entranced to tell the difference. I let Harry lead us back into the pub.

"Harry Potter. I haven't seen you here in ages! Shouldn't you be at Hogwarts?"

"Change of plans." He replied breezily. "I would love to stay, Tom, but we've got to get back."

"Sure, sure." Tom said. "Be careful."

"Always am."

Harry turned back to me and nodded towards the door. I followed him out and he pulled out his wand once more to summon the Knight Bus. We both climbed inside and Harry exchanged another greeting with Stan, handing him the appropriate fare. I sat in the seat I had occupied before and held on more tightly as the bus took off. I figured I should let Harry use the pillow this round since he had been so kind as to lend it to me my first trip.

The bus ride was silent, and not pleasantly so. I spent the entire ride thinking of what could have frightened Harry to the point of fleeing Diagon Alley. I was still very unfamiliar with the Wizarding World and being a part of it, so my knowledge of the creatures and people that inhabited it was nonexistent. It was quite frustrating.

The bus halted at the front of my house and Harry and I departed quickly. When we got to the front door, I pulled out my keys and unlocked the door swiftly, letting both Harry and I inside and away from whatever had scared him. I locked the door behind us and when I turned back around, saw Harry running his hands through his hair in what looked to be a distressed manner.

"Harry, what is it?"

His hands froze and he turned to look at me. Biting his lip, he lowered his arms and spoke up in a low voice. "I think it's time I told you who I was."

"What do you mean?"

He gestured to the living room. "We should sit down for this."

He led the two of us to the couch and I sat down, an unsettling feeling beginning in the pit of my stomach. Harry had a very solemn look on his face that alerted me something was wrong.

"When I was a year old, my parents were murdered by a... a thing that called itself Lord Voldemort. He was a rising Dark Lord trying to create a world in which he would take over and rid it of anyone with what he deemed to be 'tainted blood,' or Muggleborns."

"Like me." I said softly.

He nodded. "A few months before I was born, a prophesy was made that predicted that I would be the one to possess the power to destroy him and I alone. Neither can live while the other survives… kill or be killed."

My mouth suddenly went dry. "That's horrid. A burden that big must be torture to bear."

Again, he nodded. "Eventually, Voldemort riddled out that it was me the prophesy was talking about. My parents had been in hiding for the better part of a year in Godric's Hallow, but it was destroyed in the battle that we were bonded in. They moved to an island off the coast of Scotland virtually undetectable to anyone Muggle or magic. But somehow, he found us. He killed my father first, and then went up to my nursery to kill me. My mum was there, protecting me, but knowing she stood no chance against him alone. He offered to let her go, but she refused and sacrificed herself. I was left alone and unprotected, or so he thought. He tried to kill me with the same Unforgivable spell that slaughtered my parents, but it rebounded and destroyed him instead. My mother's love saved me. The only proof that he did try to kill me is my scar."

He lifted up his bangs and showed me the scar I had just recently come to notice. It looked tainted now that I knew the story and of the sacrifice his mother made to save him. I wanted to reach out and touch it, but squished that thought as soon as it came to mind.

He removed his hand from his forehead and continued to speak. "After that night I was branded as the only known survivor of the killing curse — The Boy Who Lived. I was famous before I was potty trained. In my parent's will, they named Sirius as my guardian and I've lived with him ever since. When you noticed my scar in the car, it was surreal because so many people in the Wizarding World know me by the scar and not by me, just Harry. I'm probably the most recognized face in the entire Wizarding community for something I can't even remember happening."

I could see the hurt in his eyes and I reached out unconsciously for the hand that was resting on his knee. He seemed just as surprised as I that I had made such a gesture, but smiled nonetheless. I retracted my hand as I asked, "What about Voldemort? You said the spell destroyed him but earlier you said he was the one who wanted to use our bond for his own benefit?"

"He survived." He said darkly. "He created something called a Horcrux in which he implants part of his soul in an object so when someone kills him, his soul lives on and he can be resurrected."

"And I'm guessing one of his followers — one of the Death Eaters — resurrected him?"

"Exactly." He said. "In my fourth year, I was forcefully entered in the Triwizard Tournament by one of the Death Eaters disguised as my Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. At the end of the third task I, along with my friend Cedric Diggory, was transported to the graveyard in front of Voldemort's former headquarters where a weak version of Voldemort and Wormtail, or Peter Pettigrew as you've heard of him, were waiting for me. Wormtail killed Cedric and bound me to a gravestone where he extracted some of my blood and a few other ingredients to resurrect Voldemort." At this point in his story, his voice became shaky. "Voldemort was returned to his former body and strength and I dueled with him to try and save myself. Somehow, I managed to get away with Cedric's body, but he was back. It took the Ministry a year to formally announce it, but I knew."

"And what about the Horcrux? Couldn't you just destroy it and go after Voldemort?"

"He didn't just make one, he made six. And before you say it's logical to make more than one, you need to understand that in order to make a Horcrux you need to split your soul. The only way to split your soul is by committing murder on an innocent human life. He implanted six fragments of his soul in objects that had a deep meaning to him."

"Did — did you ever find any of them?"

"Yes, and we destroyed them all."

"Then going after him shouldn't be a problem. Why do we even have to worry about this bond transfer if you already have everything on your side?"

"It's not that simple, Hermione." Harry said sadly. "Other than being a very well protected and once immortal wizard, Voldemort is also very smart and very powerful. When he went to Hogwarts back when he was known by his birth name, Tom Riddle, he was one of the greatest students they'd ever had. I can't just go up against someone like that without training and work. I've spent the majority of my life preparing for the confrontation so when it comes, I'll be ready."

It was a lot to take in. Here was this seventeen-year-old boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders and he was _here _with _me _trying to protect me and teach me the ways and customs he had grown up with. Instead of training for this grand battle, he was at a state school. It was becoming very clear that this bond was something neither of us fully comprehended.

"Back at Diagon Alley…" Harry said, bringing my attention back to him. "There was a Death Eater."

"What?"

"Antonin Dolohov. He's one of Voldemort's more lethal hit men. I think he was going to Knockturn Alley, but we can't afford to assume. Since Voldemort is back in power, he's doing everything he can to get me to him. Since I'm with you and I'm sure he knows of it by now, that puts both of us at risk."

"Does this mean we can't go back?"

"It means we have to be more careful in the future. I will take you back to Flourish & Blott's, though. I made a promise and I intend to honor it. I just need to pick a date where Diagon Alley is more crowded, like Christmas."

I smiled. "Works for me."

He returned my smile. "Now that we're on the subject, is there anything else you would like to know?"

"I would like to know how to do magic."

He chuckled. "I'll teach you all of that soon. I mean is there anything in general about the Wizarding World you would like to know about? I saw you in Diagon Alley. You must have a million questions."

"I wouldn't want to bore you."

"You wouldn't be. Trust me." He said with a grin.

I thought for a moment. "Quidditch. What exactly is it?"

"I remember Dumbledore telling me it's like Muggle football and rugby before." He said thoughtfully. "It's basically the only sport known to Wizard kind. It's played on broomsticks and—"

"Wait, then I don't want to know."

"You're going to fly on a broom one day."

"No, I'm not. I have no interest in flying nor will I ever."

"Say what you will, but I know that I will get a broom between your legs even if I have to force it."

I scrunched up my nose in distaste. "Pervert."

"What? I—_oh_. I didn't mean it like that!"

I smirked. "Well that's how it came out."

"You know what I meant!"

"Sorry, I can't say I do."

His jaw clenched and he turned his back to me.

"I was just trying to lighten the mood." I explained. "It's a lot to take in—your past, me being a witch…"

He craned his head back to me. "So you actually believe it now?"

"It's hard to deny what's in your blood."

He smiled smuggled and twisted around to face me. "How does it feel?"

At first, I didn't comprehend what he was asking, but after a moment of him looking at me with wide eyes, I took a wild guess that he was talking about my new-found identity as a witch. "Oh. Well, it's very unreal. Like something out of a dream. One moment I was Hermione Granger, top of her class, socially inept… and now I'm a witch."

"_Technically_ you've always been a witch."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "_Technically_ that doesn't count. I've never felt like that before."

"Like what?"

"Complete. Like my life has a purpose."

"It didn't before?"

"No. No, it _did_. It's just that now that I discovered this whole other part of me, it's like there is so much more out there for me to live for. Instead of staying here and becoming a lawyer or a dentist I could head out into the Wizarding World and explore the wells of new possibilities. It's like discovering a new wonder of the world that benefits only you."

His lips curled on one side and he got up off the couch. "Let's test that, then."

"What?"

"Get up. We're going to try something."

I gave him an odd look before lifting myself up and facing him. He pulled out his wand from his back pocket and I watched him carefully as he made a curt cut through the air and what I assumed to be a spell. "_Accio Hermione's wand!_"

The bag that I had set on the floor suddenly came rocketing through the room and into Harry's free hand. He unwrapped my wand from its encasement and handed it to me. I took it, slightly dazed. Was _I_ supposed to be able to do that?

"I want you to try what I just did."

Apparently so.

"What, _now_?"

He nodded. "Yeah. It's one of the simpler spells, don't worry. I learned it my fourth year, but since we don't have six years to teach you what I've already learned, we're just going to have to start from what I deem important. Now, let's start with a bit of background to make you feel a bit more comfortable and not as rushed, okay?"

"Okay."

"_Accio_ is a Summoning Charm. You direct it at an object that you want to obtain, and if you perform it correctly, it will come flying at you and you can grab and pocket it or do whatever it is you Summoned it for."

"It sounds like a lazy person's spell, if you ask me." I said dryly.

"Ah, but that's the trick. _Accio _can be used to summon an object from a person's pocket, their hand, or even a few miles away. As long as you know the general location of the item you want to summon, you'll be able to get it. It's a lot handier that you think. Go on, try it. Just cut your wand through the air quickly like so—" He made the motion once more with his wand, "and say _Accio_ and then the name of the object you want to summon."

I nodded. I looked around the room and my eyes fell upon a picture frame with me and my parents on our ski trip a few years back. "_Accio picture frame!_"

It came flying at me as quick as a bullet, but I caught it before it collided with the wall behind me. I grinned and looked at Harry to see if I had done alright and saw that his mouth was open practically to the floor.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" I asked worriedly.

"No!" He said quickly. "You… you just… you did it _perfect_ the first time. How did you do that?"

I was taken aback. "Oh, erm, I… I… uhh… just did it?"

"You just did it?" He asked slowly.

"Yeah." I answered cautiously.

"That's incredible." He said. "I've never known anyone who could catch on so quickly before. Are you sure that you've never cast a spell before?"

"Positive. I thought magic was a hoax, remember?"

"Right." He shook his head. "Just… do it again. See if you can repeat the same result.

I aimed this time for my mum's pair of reading glasses she left on the coffee table. "_Accio reading glasses!_"

The pair flew into my hand and I looked back over at Harry questioningly. He nodded. "Do it again."

I thought it odd to repeat what I had just done perfectly again, but complied nonetheless, this time choosing a single flower from a nearby vase. I thought after that we would be done, but he kept telling me to do it again. When I perfectly Summoned six objects in a row, I thought I would tell Harry that I was finished in my own special way.

"_Accio Harry's trousers!_"

Much to my amusement, Harry's trousers ripped off his legs and flew into my hand in a flop. I giggled a bit into the palm of my wand hand as Harry's face began to turn a bright shade of red. He was left standing there in nothing but his blue and gray plaid boxers in the middle of my living room. If my parents chose then to walk in, I would have had a lot of explaining to do. But it was definitely worth it.

He took a deep breath before speaking. "Okay, I get it."

I smiled dazzlingly at him and he rolled his eyes, holding out his hand for his trousers. I threw them back to him with a little more force than necessary to prove my point. "You don't need to observe everything I do, Harry. That includes my picture perfect spell casting"

"I like figuring things out." He explained. He mumbled what I assumed to be some sort of mending charm and the trousers began reattaching where the rip had been made.

I rolled my eyes. "Overworking me won't help you, it'll only annoy me."

"You never know." He said as he pulled the trousers up over his knees.

I bit my lip and crossed my arms around my chest as he finished fastening his trousers back on. When he finished he looked at me with a shadow of a smile. "Though I have to admit, you are catching on quickly to the Wizard sense of humor."

"Am I?"

He nodded. He took a few steps towards me and I recoiled a bit, thinking he was about to go in for payback. Instead, he stopped a few inches short of me and held out a hand. I tilted my head to the side in question just before he spoke. "Welcome to the Wizarding World, Hermione Granger."

I took his hand, and with it, sealed my fate. What was to come in the next few months, though now only a distant storm, was steadily approaching. And with mine and Harry's hands encircled within the others', the clock was slowly starting to speed up on when that storm was going to hit. And hit hard.

**A/N: Thank you all for your fabulous reviews thus far! I know I say that every chapter, but I really do mean it. They really make my day when I find I have a new review in my Inbox. Another thanks to my beta Vincent as well-he got this chapter back to me in record time and I couldn't be more thankful :)**


	8. We're Going to be Friends

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**We're Going to Be Friends**

"_And we don't notice any time pass  
We don't notice anything  
We sit side by side in every class  
Teacher thinks that I sound funny  
But she likes the way you sing_

Tonight I'll dream while I'm in bed  
When silly thoughts go through my head  
About the bugs and alphabet  
And when I wake tomorrow I'll bet  
That you and I will walk together again  
Cause I can tell that we're going to be friends"  
- The White Stripes (We're Going to be Friends)

Phase one was now complete. Hermione knew she was a witch and I didn't have to worry about her coming up with an overabundance of conspiracy theories on how magic was purely scientific. If that were the case, I'm sure I would have checked myself into the loony bin within a week. Thankfully, the power of her wand finding her was enough to convince her otherwise.

Phase two on the other hand was another story.

It was time for my weekly report to the Order and there was much I had to tell them. First on that list was the Draco problem. I had wanted to tell someone about him since I first laid eyes on his greasy head but Dumbledore had given me explicit instructions to not contact them save for emergencies and weekly reports. Since I didn't deem Draco too much of a problem (save for the fact that Hermione was near to falling head over heels in love with him), I knew that I could wait.

The fireplace in my flat did end up being connected to the Floo Network my first day here with Floo powder in a silver urn next to it. So, since it had now been a week since I had arrived, I grabbed a handful of the silvery powder and threw it into the flames I had conjured a few moments previous, watching as the fire shifted to a bright emerald green color. I inserted my head into the flames and spoke up in a clear voice. "Number twelve, Grimmauld Place."

It was a few moments before I saw the familiar living room of my childhood home. As I expected, Dumbledore, Sirius, and Remus were waiting for me. They seemed to be in hushed conversation, so I cleared my throat to catch their attention.

"Harry." Remus said cheerfully. "How was your first week in the Muggle world?"

I shrugged, but it only came off as a slight bob of the head on their end. "It went relatively well. I took Hermione down to Diagon Alley the other day to get her wand."

"And?" Remus asked.

"Well, it took a while, but her wand found her and she's now very convinced she's a witch." I said proudly.

"Well done, Harry." Dumbledore said, clapping his hands together. "It seems as though the hardest part of your quest is complete."

"Not quite." I said honestly. The three men gave me odd looks so I elaborated further. "First off, when we were in Diagon Alley, I saw Dolohov."

"You did?" Sirius asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I think he was looking for me. Word has probably gotten around by now that I'm not at Hogwarts and so Voldemort is starting to grow suspicious."

"I cannot say I find this surprising." Dumbledore said in that all-knowing tone of his. "We took a great risk in sending you there to find Miss Granger."

"How has your workload been?" Sirius asked. "I know Dumbledore has all of your teachers sending you work. On top of teaching Hermione how to control her new-found abilities and normal Muggle school coursework, you must be exhausted."

"It's been tough." I admitted. "But I know it'll all pay off in the end."

"That's the spirit." Remus said with a wide grin. "I'm glad things are going well."

"Actually, there's something else." I said. "It turns out that Voldemort may be more ahead of the game than we originally thought."

"What do you mean?" Remus asked.

"There's already someone from the Wizarding world at the school and he has Hermione in the palm of his hand."

"Is it someone we know?" Sirius asked.

I nodded. "Draco Malfoy."

"That little shit."

"Sirius." Remus said warningly before turning back to me. "Harry, are you sure it's him?"

"Positive. I confronted him about it and he didn't deny a thing. He's been here since January, apparently."

Dumbledore put a hand on his chin thoughtfully as Sirius spoke up. "He's been working on this for _nine months_?"

"Yeah. And unfortunately, he's done a good enough job that when I told Hermione about him, she refused to believe me."

"_What_?" Sirius said, aghast.

"She's very stubborn." I said.

"And loyal." Dumbledore supplied. I gave the Headmaster an odd look. "She stands by those who have gained her trust. Since you've only just arrived, she holds Mr. Malfoy's word above your own. It is not a bad trait to possess, but in the situation we are in, is becoming increasingly inconvenient."

"You're telling me." I said sadly. "It feels horrible not having her believe me."

"It's understandable." Remus said.

"We have to get rid of him!" I said. "With him out of the way, we're one step closer to getting rid of this bond and heading back to our normal lives."

"That is out of the question."

I looked over at Dumbledore and frowned. "Why? The whole reason you sent me here was to protect her from anyone that was working for Voldemort taking advantage of her. Now that I've found him, I can get rid of him and we can free ourselves of this bond once and for all."

"No, Harry, it is not that simple."

"Then how can I—?"

"All you need to do is continue teaching Hermione the ways of our kind. The stronger she becomes, the stronger your bond grows."

"Dumbledore, I don't think—"

"Remus, please." Dumbledore interrupted smoothly. "Harry, if you get rid of Mr. Malfoy, it will put you in more danger than you are already in. Voldemort is under the impression that he has the upper hand in this circumstance. Within the next few days, he will likely gain knowledge that you are there and double his efforts to corrupt Miss Granger. Getting rid of his accomplice will do nothing but cause more problems."

"But what if he succeeds in making Hermione fall in love with him? I hate to admit it, but he's damn close."

"I have full confidence that you will prevent that from happening."

"How can you be so sure?"

He gave me a knowing look. "Have I ever led you wrong before, Harry?"

"Well, no…"

"Then you will do well to heed my advice."

I sighed. "Yes, sir."

"Remember, Harry, you are the one with whom she is bonded. Having that in common gives you an advantage that Mr. Malfoy can only dream of."

"What kind of advantage? So far, it's only led to trouble."

"As I recall, trouble has never been a problem with you before."

I felt my cheeks heat up.

"We all have complete faith in you, Harry." Remus said. "You'll do fantastic."

"Yeah." Sirius added. "And if Draco bugs you, just send a nice hex his way. You're legal now."

"_Sirius._"

"Sorry."

"So." I said, trying to change the subject from Malfoy. "How are things with the Order? Any news on Voldemort's hiding spot?"

"Unfortunately not." Dumbledore replied. "We have a team scouting around the perimeter of Spinner's End tonight."

"Snape's place?" I asked.

"We are trying every place that has ties with him. Since Snape is our emissary, he may have a hint to where his whereabouts are."

"Couldn't you just ask him?"

"Unbreakable vow."

"Ah."

"But we are making progress. So far our research is pointing to somewhere in Wales." Remus supplied.

"That's good to hear." I said, though still wanting to know more about the progress.

"We'll inform you if anything important occurs, Harry." Sirius said as if reading my thoughts.

I smiled. "Thank you, Sirius."

"Oh, and we have a message from Ron."

I perked up at the news. "Oh? What did he say?"

"He wants to know how to contact you." Sirius said. "Oh, and that Potions sucks without you."

I chuckled. "Tell him I'll contact him soon."

"Remember not to give away your location." Remus chimed.

"Naturally." I said with a laugh. "If that's all, then I have some Chemistry homework to get to."

"What's Chemistry?" Sirius asked.

"Like Potions… but with numbers."

Sirius clutched his heart. "Good luck with that one, son."

"Yeah, thanks. I'll talk to you guys in a week."

"Make sure to work out a date for you to visit!" Sirius said. "I mean, Ron and Ginny really miss you… and stuff."

"I miss them, too." I said. "You too, Padfoot."

I saw a ghost of a smile appear on his lips and said a final farewell before he started to cry. Sirius had always been a very emotional fellow, but sometimes it was too much to handle. I was pulled back to my flat in an instant and looked behind me at the pile of books I had brought home from school that day paired with the few I needed for Hogwarts coursework. It was horrifying to look at, but it had to be done.

I got up off my knees and numbly walked over to the small table in the kitchen area. As I sat down, I wandlessly summoned the stack of books and papers over to me and set them down on the table with a loud thump. I looked at the alarm clock for a moment and saw that it was already six o'clock. I had just come back from dinner with the Grangers and knew that I had the rest of the night to finish the workload in front of me without interruption. It was like this nearly every night. I woke up, fixed breakfast or had breakfast already waiting for me depending on Hermione's mood, went to school, came home, taught Hermione a new spell which she always (and I don't exaggerate when I say this) picked up after three tries or less, eat dinner, then come back to my loft to work on all of the homework I had for the day, finishing it around one to two in the morning.

I would have collapsed by now if it wasn't for the wonder that was coffee. I had asked Jane if she had an extra coffee maker that I could take for these late nights and she literally jumped out of her seat and ran to the attic to fetch me one. It was a few years old, but still worked just fine. Jane had also taught me how to use it and given me three containers of coffee grounds to start off with. She really was an angel. I could see where Hermione got her kind nature from.

This past week had also introduced me to the wonder that was Hermione Granger. She was quite literally the most fascinating person I had ever met. In class, she was this dynamo genius who knew everything there was to know about a given subject. You would think with a brain that large, she would be a little bit egotistical about it all but, in fact, she was quite blasé about the complexity that was her mind. Every time someone brought up how smart she was she would wave it off with a comment like "Oh stop it, you're just saying that" or something equally as carefree. She was the same way with magic. Every time she nailed a new spell, she just added it to her growing list of knowledge and acted as though she hadn't a care in the world, but on the inside I knew she was beaming.

Although we weren't quite friends yet, I could see that we were getting there, and that was the only thing that was keeping me from strangling Draco Malfoy every time he got within two inches of Hermione. With friendship comes trust, and that would inevitably lead to Hermione kicking Malfoy to the curb like a sack of rotten tomatoes. It was going to happen and I was trying my hardest to make sure it happened soon. If what Dumbledore said was true, than Voldemort could double his efforts to break mine and Hermione's bond within the next few days.

And on top of all of that, I was in an advanced Chemistry class whose teacher gave us two pounds of homework a night, none of which I understood in the least.

I drew the heavy book towards me with a grimace and opened it up to the page our assignment started on. We were covering something that had to do with significant figures and their effects on balanced equations. In other words: I was doomed. I knew I had to do well in order to fit in and I couldn't do that if I hadn't had an ounce of knowledge on this subject to begin with.

Within five minutes of attempting the first problem, my head was atop the book and repeatedly beating itself with a little help from my emotional discharge. I knew at the rate I was going I was going to have one major headache to deal with, but I didn't have a care in the world. There was only one thing that could save me, and that was a distraction. But since I had locked myself in this room and made a mental promise that I would conquer the harder assignments first, all distractions wouldn't do a thing but postpone the inevitable.

But by some mark of the heavens, a relief appeared in the form of knocking. I lifted my head off of the book after a final bang and looked towards the only door to my flat that didn't lead to a toilet. At first, I thought it was a figment of my imagination — my brain rolling around in my skull perhaps — but when the knocking continued after a brief pause, I knew that fate had dealt me a sweet card. I quickly dashed out of my seat and unlocked the door to let whoever was acting as the angel on the other side into the hell that was my flat.

I opened the door wide enough to catch a glimpse of bushy brown hair and immediately flew it open the rest of the way. Hermione was standing there holding a large box that looked to be way too heavy for a girl of her petite build to be carrying.

"Hey Harry, sorry to disturb you but my mum wanted me to drop off some things."

"It's no problem. Come in, come in."

She walked in with a slight wobble to her step and made her way to the kitchen, placing the box atop one of the empty counters. I closed the door but refrained from locking it, knowing she wouldn't be here for long.

She brushed off her hands on her jumper as she looked around the place. "You've changed some things."

I remembered that she hadn't been here since my first night. "Oh, right. I had some things shrunk down in my bag to make the place homier."

She nodded to herself. "It looks nice. I see a lot of gold and red. Are those your favorite colors?"

"Of a sort." I said. "They're my house colors back at Hogwarts."

"Oh." She said softly, walking over to my bed and observing the new bedspread I had put on it. "And the lion?"

"The house mascot."

"Wow, they really go all out at Hogwarts, don't they?" She said with a smile.

I shrugged. "I guess. I've never really known any different. My godfather had a lot of his old house stuff that he passed down to me when I got sorted into Gryffindor. I've lived in a well of red and gold ever since."

She walked over to the bedside table where I had a picture of Ron, Ginny, and I framed. She picked it up and gazed at it for a moment before turning to me. "Are these the friends that you told me about?"

"Yeah." I said as I walked to her and pointed to Ron and Ginny respectively. "That's Ron, the one with the chocolate frog stuffed in his mouth." She giggled at that. "And the other one is Ginny."

"You have her arm around her." She mused. "Are you two close?"

I nodded. "Yeah, we are. This was taken at the end of last year when we were dating."

She looked up at me questioningly. "When?"

"We broke up a few weeks later." I told her.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." She said sincerely.

"It's fine. We're better off as friends, anyway."

"That's nice." She said. "It's great when you can still stay friends after a breakup."

She had a certain something in her eyes when she said that, one that made me question her almost out of reflex. "Did you have a bad experience with that?"

She snorted. "No. I've only gone out with one person in my life and he's hardly worth mentioning."

"Oh."

It came as some sort of a shock to me that she had only had one boyfriend. She was a very attractive girl that anyone would be lucky to have.

Whoa, where did that come from?

"Looking at your Wizarding pictures gives me a headache." She said, placing the photo back on the table.

She turned back to me and we locked eyes for a moment in silence. She quickly looked away after a few seconds and her eyes settled on something behind my right shoulder. "Oh! I didn't realize you were doing homework. I should be getting back."

She brushed past me and was halfway across the loft when an idea struck me. I walked the few steps to catch up with her and put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. She turned around to look at me and I spoke. "Actually, I could really use your help."

She narrowed her eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah. With Chemistry."

She seemed to relax a bit and nodded. "Alright."

I gave her a wide smile. "Fantastic!"

I led the two of us to the table where I had previously been banging my head against the open textbook. I cleared off the rest of the books so that we had enough room to work and she scooted her chair next to mine, or as close to it as she could get at a circular table.

"What exactly do you need help on?" She asked as she pulled the textbook directly between us.

"Everything." I answered honestly.

"_Everything_?" She asked me in disbelief.

"Well what do you expect? I grew up in an entirely different world where significant figures aren't significant enough to teach." I said earnestly.

She inhaled a decent amount of breath in through her nose before nodding. "Okay, well, it's not terribly difficult. What we're learning now is review from last year, so I have a pretty good grasp on it. The point is to eliminate the insignificant digits so you have a more well-rounded answer."

"And how exactly can you tell that?"

She went on explaining and I hung onto every word, soaking in as much information as I could. The way she explained it to me was much easier to understand than the brief lecture the professor had given us before assigning the work. Before I knew it, the assignment was finished and I was excessively thanking her.

"Don't worry about it. It's the least I can do with you teaching me magic every day after we get home." She said.

"At least let me make it up to you!"

"You already are. Learning magic is enough payback, I assure you."

"You just saved me from blowing my cover and completely failing the class."

"For now." She said teasingly. "Besides, you're saving me from becoming an easy target for Voldemort to manipulate. I think we're even. You teach me magic, I tutor you with anything you need help with."

I knew there was no use trying to reason with her, but there was still a part of me that wanted to repay her. Since I had grown up around magic, I felt that learning new spells was more of a chore than anything. I owed her big time.

"Harry, stop thinking of what you can do to change my mind." She said, interrupting exactly that. "We. Are. Even."

"Christmas!" I blurted.

"What?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Christmas." I repeated. "You can come with me to Grimmauld Place for Christmas."

"Harry I really don't think—"

"Come _on_, Hermione, it's the only way to put my mind at ease." I said pleadingly. She looked unconvinced, but I quickly continued in a sly voice with what I hoped would sway her. "It would give you an opportunity to observe Wizard life at its best."

I could tell I got to her when I saw her eyes move to one side in thought. I couldn't tell what she was thinking just yet, but I knew with time it would be a piece of cake. Thankfully, she saved me the trouble of thinking too much on it by looking back at me with a small smile. "Okay."

I let out a relieved breath. "Great. I'll tell Sirius."

"What, now?"

"No, maybe in a few days. You still need to ask your parents, right?"

"Oh, of course. Yes. I'll do that now, actually." She said, sliding back her chair and making her way to the door.

"You don't have to this instant." I said in amusement.

She turned around on her heel and put a hand on her hip. "And why ever not?"

"You don't want to rush into it. Merlin, you're always moving ten million kilos an hour, you can afford to sit down and relax for a while. What do you even do for fun?"

"Plenty of things." She said defensively.

"Like what?" I questioned.

"Well, I like to read."

"Tell me something I don't know. I meant _fun_."

"That _is_ fun for me! I read fiction novels every night before I go to sleep."

"Fair enough. Anything else?"

She thought about it for a moment, a sign that whatever she was going to say next was going to be as convincing as a rock running a marathon. "Study?"

I frowned and got up, walking towards her slowly. "Hermione, if you don't say something convincing within the next ten seconds, I'm going to move up our flying lesson to right now."

She gulped and answered with three seconds to spare, just in time for me to stop an inch away from her. "Draw. I like to draw."

"Really?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yes."

"Show me."

"What, now?" She asked, looking startled.

"Yeah. I want proof that you're not a Dementor or something."

"A what?"

"A creature incapable of anything related to happiness." I quickly explained. I then flicked my wrist and summoned my notebook and pencil from the table and held them out to her. "Now go on, show me."

"I don't draw unless I'm inspired to do so." She said concretely, turning her nose up at the pad and pencil.

"Well if you have no evidence, then I'm afraid—"

"But I _can_ show you." She interrupted, grabbing the two objects out of my hand and placing them on the mantle above the fireplace. "Follow me."

I followed her out of the loft and into her house. She led me up the stairs and down a long hallway where I had never been before. A few doors down, she stopped. We were halted in front of a door covered in painted lilac flowers. At first, I thought this was she was going to show me, but she opened the door and I was led into a room slightly smaller than my loft outside. The room was painted light purple and had a pale green ceiling in which tiny stars were scattered. Only when I noticed the bookshelves covering the bottom half of the walls did I realize we were in Hermione's room.

She walked around to her bed, a white frame with purple sheets and pillows, and bent down to look underneath. After a moment of her head disappearing underneath the bed, she reemerged with a large maroon book that looked to be as thick as _Hogwarts: A History_. She sat down on her bed with it atop her lap and motioned for me to join her. I did, albeit hesitantly. When I sat down atop the covers, she opened up the book so that it rested on both of our laps.

"This is my sketchbook." She explained, flipping through the first few pages. "I've been drawing in it ever since I can remember."

She stopped turning the pages as she reached a drawing of what looked to be a still photograph of a bird. It took me a moment to realize that it was hand drawn. "Wait, you drew this?"

"Yeah." She said. "After a bird flew on my windowsill, I copied it to memory and drew it."

"It's fantastic." I said in awe.

"Thank you." I looked up at her and saw she was blushing furiously.

I turned another page and saw pictures of similar detail, ones of people and still life alike. Some she had shaded to perfection and others were mere lines on paper, but every one of them was nothing short of a masterpiece to my eyes. I turned back to her and said in a small voice, "You are an amazing artist."

"You really think so?"

"I know so. I would kill for half of your talent. I'm surprised you haven't filled this book up to the brim yet."

"I would if I had the time." She said forlornly. "Unfortunately, with all of the time I dedicate to school, I never have any time to draw anymore."

"Why can't you make time?" I asked.

"I would if I could, but it's just not the kind of person I am."

"What about now?"

"Excuse me?"

"Now. Draw a picture." I said with a grin plastered on my face.

She smiled sadly. "I don't have anything to draw."

I looked around the room and saw that she was right. She had drawn many of the things that held any sort of interest around us. Then, an idea struck me. "Draw me."

She gave me an odd look. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, why not?" I said nonchalantly.

"Erm, alright." She said after a moment.

I stood up then, placing two hands on my hips and looking off into the distance as Hermione fetched a pencil from a cup on her bedside table. When she turned back to me, she let out a sound between a laugh and a cough. "What on Earth are you doing?"

"Posing." I said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well stop, you look like a brainless catalog model."

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to look like?"

"Only if you want to seem like an idiot with no sense of self-awareness. Go sit on that chair over there by the window." She pointed to a small alcove in which the wall was slightly bent to give the look of a private reading area.

I followed her instructions and sat down in the white wicker chair, looking at her expectantly. "Now what?"

She put a hand on her chin thoughtfully before pointing to a spot slightly to my left. "Grab that book." Though I thought it odd, I obliged her request and held the book in my lap. "Now, pretend like you're reading it."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"But I don't like reading."

She gave me a look. "Do you want me to draw you or not?"

I huffed. "Fine."

I opened the book to a random page and assumed the position I took when I had to read a section for History of Magic; legs apart just so, leaning slightly back on the backside of the chair with the book being balanced on the arm and one of my hands steadying it.

"Perfect." She said admiringly. "Now try to hold that position."

"Can't you just do it by memory?" I asked, looking up at her in question.

"No, not with people. They have too many details to commit to memory. Now put your head back down. This has to look completely natural in order to look right."

"Me reading is the complete opposite of natural." I mumbled.

I heard her chuckle, but didn't look up to check. I didn't want to be scorned again. So I simply stayed in that position until I began to grow bored. Knowing I shouldn't move, I took to actually beginning to read the book. It held my interest for a nice chunk of time. In fact, I began to get so enamored with the story that I couldn't hear Hermione calling my name until she had to yell it at a frequency so loud I nearly jumped out of my bones. I looked over at her and saw that she was shaking the sketch pad.

"I'm finished."

"Oh, good." I said, closing the book reluctantly.

She must have sensed my hesitancy because a small smile formed on her lips and she nodded at the book as I began to get up. "You can borrow it if you like."

I bit my lip and considered her offer. I knew that any book able to catch my attention for more than five seconds was worth reading at least a chapter or two. I tried to sound breezy as I said, "Yeah okay. Cool."

I knew that she could see past my cool demeanor, but still held it up for appearance sake. I didn't want to look like an idiot now did I? As she fiddled around with what I assumed to be the final details of the picture, I swiftly looked at the title of the book: _Disclosure _by some guy named Michael Crichton. I shrugged and took out my wand to shrink to book to fit into my pocket. By the time I was finished, she was closing the book and seemed to be about to put it back underneath her bed.

"Hold on, I want to see it!"

She looked at me with a small smile. "Not yet."

"What—why?" I asked. "I didn't spend an hour in a chair posing for your picture to not see the final result."

"You will see it… eventually."

"Exactly how long is 'eventually'?"

"Christmas."

"_What?_"

She gave me a small smile. "It's not quite finished yet, but I have the basic outline for it. Judging by the amount of free time I have between now and the end of the year, I'll have it done by Christmas."

"But I want to see it _now_."

She shrugged. "Too bad, you'll have to wait."

I pouted. "It had better be a fucking tour de force."

She gave me a stunning smile that melted my angry demeanor. "It will be. I promise."

I clenched my jaw. "Alright, fine. You win. But if I don't see it by Christmas, there'll be hell to pay."

"I'm shaking."

I grudgingly watched her put the pad away. Although it did give me something to look forward to in the next few months, I was still a very impatient person. But I was also reasonable.

I walked back over to her bed and sat next to her once more. She looked over at me with her cinnamon orbs and I almost forgot what I was about to say. Luckily, I still had the talk-before-I-think complex that included talking before I got distracted. "Thank you for showing me your drawings."

"You're welcome."

"You're parents must be very proud of you. More so than they already are, of course."

"I — you're actually the first person I've showed them to." She said, bowing her head.

I was taken completely aback. "Really? Not even Kat?"

She shook her head. "Not even Kat."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of."

She looked back up at me. "I'm not ashamed of it I just… I dunno. She's never really given me the chance to show them to her. It's the same with my parents. I don't want to go up to them one day and shove my sketch pad in their faces screaming like a little girl 'Look what I can do, look what I can do!'"

"Why not?"

She laughed nervously. "I'm way past that. Showing them now would just be an inconvenience."

"Hermione, having a talent for something isn't an inconvenience."

"It is when you have other plans ahead of you." She said coolly. "Drawing for me is nothing but a silly pastime compared to the things I have in front of me."

"And what are those, exactly?"

"They _were_ to go to University. But now that you're here and I've discovered this whole new world, who knows what I'll end up doing."

To a logical mind, that would have made sense. I have never held any logic. "Don't just discard something that you love to do because it's not in your plans, Hermione. It's like cheating yourself."

"Easy for you to say." She said bitterly.

"Fine, whatever. It's your life."

"Right."

"Well, I should be getting to my other ten pounds of coursework. I'll see you in the morning, Hermione." I got up and began to walk to the door when her voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Harry?"

I turned to her. "Yes?"

She gave me a small smile. "Thank you for letting me show you my drawings."

I smiled back at her. "Anytime."

With that, I left her room and returned back to my flat to work on what was sure to be another full night's worth of work. But when I returned to my side of the property, I let myself feel a well of accomplishment. She had shown me something that no one, not even her best friend, had seen before. If that wasn't making progress, I didn't know what was. Take that, Malfoy!

From that moment on, Hermione Granger and I had a new label for our complicated relationship: Friends.

**A/N: Sorry this chapter was late, I thought for sure I uploaded it on this site! Well, I guess now you get two new chapters in one day. YAY! Thanks to all that reviewed and my beta, Vincent, for putting up with my weird and sometimes hectic schedule.**

**-Shar**


	9. On Fire

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**On Fire**

______

"_Tell you where you need to go  
Tell you who you need to be  
Tell you what you need to know  
Tell you when you'll need to leave_

But everything inside you knows  
Says more than what you've heard  
So much more than empty conversations  
Filled with empty words

Chorus:

And you're on fire  
When he's near you  
You're on fire  
When he speaks  
You're on fire  
Burning at these mysteries"

- Switchfoot (On Fire)

I was slick with sweat, my breath coming out in short gasps. We had been at it for a good hour so far and Harry was adamant that we go all the way if we wanted to get it right. But, in my opinion, we were going about it in the wrong position. Instead of taking it slow and easy like we had been, he was thrusting all new kinds of methods at me so fast I couldn't even think. Sometimes I wondered if he had ever done this before.

I mean teaching magic, obviously.

"Harry." I said with a groan as I collapsed back onto the couch. "Can we take a break? You've made me disarm you at least fifty times already."

"Hermione I've already told you an umpteen amount of times. I'm teaching you things that took me six years to learn. It's a miracle we've gotten this far in such a short amount of time."

"Who says we have to go so fast, though?"

"I do." He said simply. "Now get up and hit me with a jelly-legs jinx."

"No." I said bluntly.

"_No?_"

"Yes. No."

"Hermione you need to learn this!" He yelled in frustration. "You need to be prepared!"

"And in your book prepared is classified as being worked to the bone to the point of exhaustion?"

"Naturally." He said with a blasé one-handed gesture.

"_What_ has gotten into you lately?" I asked in aggravation.

"What do you mean?"

"Two weeks ago you weren't nearly this hard on me with magic. Now I'm learning three new spells a day plus I have to read two chapters of Wizarding History a night." I said, then looking up at him meaningfully. "Something happened, and whatever it is has been eating you up inside slowly enough that I didn't notice until I began to literally sweat halfway through our lesson. Call me crazy, but unless two wizards are in an intricate duel, no one should be sweating."

He sighed and took a seat in what he had deemed "his" chair — the one opposite the couch just off to the right. "It has to be done." He spoke softly.

"I understand that there's a lot I need to learn, but why not just teach me the big stuff and work your way down?"

"It doesn't work that way." He said, shaking his head. "Although in theory it sounds like the best way to learn, it isn't. When I took on Voldemort my fourth year, I knew virtually nothing in defensive skills, yet I got off spot free. Well, almost. But the point is that it doesn't matter how advanced the spells you use are, it's how you use what you know. Voldemort is one of the greatest wizards that has ever lived, no matter how evil he is. His Death Eaters are all trained with spells so dark no one would ever consider learning them to match up."

I nodded. "But all of this seems so minute. The spells, I mean. I've only learned a few that could be useful in combat."

He lifted the side of his lip in a smirk. "You would think. Like I said, it's how you use the spells that matters. Even if you only know _Aguamenti_, you can still use it to trip up your opponent. Every spell is useful; you just need to think outside the box."

"I've never been one to do that." I said without shame.

"And there's nothing wrong with that. When you're dueling, most of the time you barely have enough time to defend yourself, let alone think of a proper hex or curse to send your opponent's way. Sometimes, you just have to do the first thing that comes to mind; what instinct tells you to do."

"Instinct… spontaneity… yeah, I haven't used those since I hit puberty."

He snorted. "With practice, you'll find they come naturally."

"If by practice, you mean like what we were just doing, I'll respectfully decline."

"Hermione you—"

"Harry, listen to me. I'm up for learning new things as much as the next person, but you're getting ridiculous. I've had to deal with advanced classes since I started secondary school, all rigorous, all strenuous, but I never once complained. If I'm complaining, you know you've got a problem with your curriculum."

"Fair enough. I'll cut it down to once chapter a night."

"_Harry_." I said through a loud moan. "I just want a break. Five minutes, tops."

"Okay fine, you can have your break." He said resolutely, leaning back in his chair.

"Good." I said brightly. "In the meantime, you can tell me why you're increasing my workload to the brink of insanity."

His jaw locked. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me." I said in challenge.

An odd look washed onto his face. "You're not going to like it. Really, it's best I just keep to myself."

"Hey, it was my birthday a few days ago and you didn't get me a present. You owe me."

"You used that excuse last night when you wanted me to cook you apple crumble for dessert." He said with a raised brow.

"So? No birthday present equals a week of favors. Besides, that apple crumble was a little dry anyway."

He made an insulted sound in the back of his throat. "You said it was lovely."

"I was _lying_."

He frowned. There was a moment of silence before he spoke up again. "Fine. But I will not be held liable for any burst of anger. That includes if you end up throwing something at me."

"Fine. Now spill before I get wrinkles." I said with a grin.

"Draco Malfoy."

My demeanor immediately darkened.

"He's going to increase his efforts on you soon, I can feel it."

"What are you psychic now?" I asked in a monotone.

"No, but I talked to a few members of the Order and they think—"

"Do _not_ bring the Order into this." I interrupted. "It's bad enough you're trying to convince me that one of my friends is a Death Eater. Now you're getting the Order to back you up?"

"They're backing me up because they know I'm right!" He said, annoyed. "Come _on_, Hermione. We've known each other for little over a month, the least you can do is trust me."

"How can I trust you when what you're saying is completely ludicrous?"

"But it isn't. It's the opposite!"

"Harry stop."

"No. No, I won't. I'm trying to protect you… protect _us_. I thought now that we were friends you would take what I had to say seriously."

"We_ are _friends." I said in conformation. This statement seemed to calm Harry down a bit. But as soon as I spoke up again, his face fell back to one of annoyance. "But I'm also loyal..."

"Yeah, that's what he said…" He trailed off.

"What who said?"

"Never mind. All that matters is that I'm just trying to look after you by telling you the complete truth."

"The _complete truth _is bullshit." I said bluntly. "So you can stop bringing it up unless you want to have a broken nose."

His hand reflexively went to his nose and I raised my eyebrows at him, daring him to test me. He lowered his hand and narrowed his eyes. "I think it's time I taught you how to duel."

I was taken aback at the change of subject. "What?"

"Get up. I'm going to teach you how to duel." I gave him an odd lock and mirrored him as he lifted himself from his seat. "Is there anywhere in this house that doesn't have any windows or valuable objects?"

"Erm, well, there's the attic. All the valuables we have in there are in steel cases."

"Perfect. Show me."

I nodded and led him down the hallway and to the hidden staircase that led to the attic. Both my parents were highly superstitious (and now I know for good reason) so apart from having a very expensive security system, they wanted a room in the house that was hidden just in case a burglar or evil dark wizard ever broke in. The stairs were hidden behind a large bookcase that could only be opened by pulling forward the miniature bust of Copernicus my dad had bought at a resale shop. It was tiny enough to remain unnoticed if you weren't looking for it.

Pulling the bust forward I listened for the small click that signaled the lock had been unhinged. It came and I circled around to the other side to push the bookcase aside. Harry remained still as I revealed the dark staircase.

"Bloody brilliant." He said in appreciation.

I smiled as I finished pushing the rest of the bookcase. I then tapped the light switch along the wall that illuminated the way to the attic. I motioned for Harry to go first and he complied, walking slowly up the stairs. You would think that stairs leading to an attic would creak and add to the overall image of the foreboding dark room, but thanks to my parents' lighthearted personalities, they made sure not one part of this house was gloomy in any way. Not one inch.

Before I followed Harry up the stairs, I closed the bookcase behind us just in case. I guess superstition runs in the family.

"Hermione?"

"Coming!"

I ascended the stairs quickly and saw Harry standing in the direct middle of the attic. Well, what my parents and I called the attic. It was more like a second living room only less fancy and with a lot more storage bins. Above us was a very intricate chandelier made of crystal that my parents had received as a wedding gift back in the day. They said it was too showy for their tastes so they put it up here instead. There were two loveseats, one on the far wall and the other on the right wall next to it, both Victorian in design with coral cushioning. Between them was a coffee table made of the same oak that aligned the loveseats. There was a spare wardrobe that went halfway up the wall opposite the living setup and on either side of it were two wooden end tables, all filled with knickknacks that we never got rid of. Along any other open spot were steel and wooden cases all filled with miscellaneous things from the past. I assumed that the book my mum had pulled out last month was in one of the larger steel cases along with a bunch of other magical stuff they neglected to tell me about.

"Are you sure it's safe to duel up here?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Perfectly safe as long as we're careful." I said in affirmation.

He nodded and walked to the opposite end of the room, pulling out his wand from his back pocket and drawing my attention to his butt for a moment. His very nicely toned butt.

_Snap out of it, Granger! He's only you're fiancé._

Oh. That was the only thing wrong, wasn't it?

"Now turn and face me." Harry's voice called from the opposite side of the room, shaking me out of my thoughts.

I spun on my heel and faced him, my legs spread apart only just. He bobbed his head before speaking again. "Now we bow."

As soon as he began to do so, I followed accordingly.

"Is this just a formality?" I asked as the both of us finished our bows.

"Mostly. If you're engaged in combat by a Death Eater, they won't hesitate to just blow you up, but if you're challenged by any half-decent wizard, they should abide by the formalities." He answered curtly. "Now we salute each other with our wands like so."

He demonstrated the motion and I mirrored him once more.

"Now, we stake our stance and begin to duel. Remember what I told you about using what you know to your best advantage. I won't go too hard on you."

My jaw clenched. Although I know he was only trying to be fair, part of me knows that if I had gone to Hogwarts and received the same education, I would have had a very good chance of beating him without handicaps. But now I was more determined than ever to beat him.

"And… begin."

"_Expelliarmus!_" I yelled immediately.

"_Protego!_" He countered, the spell bouncing off of it and onto a nearby pillow, throwing it up into the air. "_Stupefy!_"

Instead of drawing up a shield and wasting time, I dodged the spell by curving to the right and shooting a stinger hex that I had just learned today. It hit him on his left wrist and he recoiled, but not before sending another _Stupefy_ my way. This one I blocked with _Protego_ and that cost me precious time that Harry took full advantage of.

"_Locomotor Mortis!_"

The spell hit my legs hard and they locked together almost painfully. I stumbled for a moment, but during my struggled, I somehow managed to say the first spell that came to mind. "_Aguamenti!_"

The way my wand was positioned wasn't in line for a slippery attack, but it was high enough that when the giant line of water shot out of it, it landed right onto Harry's face. The water delayed his next move long enough that I spent a few seconds trying to remember any counter curse that Harry had mentioned. We hadn't covered them extensively and I couldn't have loathed him more at that moment because of it. And, as karma would have it, I fell to the ground in defeat, losing my balance as well as my pride.

"Well that was short."

Harry was still on the other side of the room, wiping off his face with the sleeve of his sweatshirt. "A duel is never over unless it is mutually agreed by both parties or, you know, one of them is dead."

"Duly noted. But I can't very well stand a chance at winning on the ground at my skill level so could you perform the counter curse to this, please?"

"Oh, yeah sure."

He bustled right on over and sat down beside me before muttering something I couldn't quite hear that made my legs gain flexibility once more. "Thank you."

"No problem. You know, that wasn't bad at all for your first duel. You're taking to magic very well for someone who didn't believe in it a little more than a month ago."

"Thanks." I said with a smile. "You're a great teacher when you're not crazed with false motives."

I could tell that the ending comment bothered him, but he didn't argue. "It's some place you have up here. All of these things you don't use. What was up with the bookcase, anyway?"

"My parents are very cautious when it comes to danger. I used to think they were barmy, but now I understand that it's not just burglars we have to worry about. This attic is a safe house as well."

"What's up with all of the boxes? I thought mine and Sirius's attic was cluttered, but this is just—well, it's not messy, but you can tell that there's a lot stored in here."

"Oh, they're mostly just family albums and old wedding gifts from way back. Well, at least that's what my parents said. I guess this is where my mum was keeping her stuff for the Order."

A mischievous look passed over Harry's face. "We should look for it."

"What, why?" I asked. "It's probably a bunch of junk by now. Old missions and pictures… I bet she gave all the good stuff to that Dumbledore guy who heads the whole thing."

He seemed to give my opinion a little thought, but I knew what he was going to say by the way his face broke into a wide grin. "Let's do it."

"Harry, I—"

"Come on, Hermione. We're done practicing for the day, _none_ of our teachers gave us any homework for Merlin knows what reason and my coursework from Hogwarts is only reading a few chapters for once. Can we please try to have a little adventure while we can?" He finished with a small pout.

I looked at him for a moment but gave in regardless of what my better judgment was saying in the back of my head. What could it hurt, anyway? It's not like there were any other secrets that I didn't know about.

"Okay."

"Great! Now if I was your mum, where would I hide a bunch of top-secret Order possessions?" He got up and began to walk around the room, looking for something that may give him a hint.

I got up as well and looked along the opposite wall. I knew it had to be in one off the steel boxes, but which one? My mum always said that she could never find something important more than once because somewhere in her mind, she locks it up so that not even she can recall where it was hidden. She had to have marked it with something that could distinguish it from the rest so that no matter what, she would know the fake from the real.

I then began to search the steel cases for a marking. Something more than a scratch but less than a magnet. If I knew my mum, and I think I do pretty well, I would have to rely on something other than sight to remember something she had intentionally forgotten. That was when I began to feel the steel. Yeah, I know it sounds funny, but the ironic thing is that it worked after five minutes.

"I found something!" I yelled at Harry.

On one of the steel boxes near the sofas, I had felt a slight distortion on the side. Before I did anything else, I chose to call Harry over simply because I didn't want to risk the temptation to open it without him. He kneeled next to me within seconds of my call.

"What is it, what did you find?" He asked hurriedly. He was giddy with excitement.

"My mum developed a talent of a sort when she was growing up not to remember things of importance. I don't know what for, but only that if she needs to go back to something, she usually puts a marker on what she needs to find. I felt around the steel boxes and after a while came across this."

I tugged on the heavy steel box and with a little effort pulled it in between us so that the distortion I had felt was facing out.

"I don't see anything."

"Exactly. She's not a stupid woman. She had to disguise it so that any passerby would discard whatever may be inside the box." I said hotly. "But to be sure, I may need your help with a — a revealer spell or something."

He nodded and pulled out his wand. "_Aparecium!_"

Instantly in the area I had felt the distortion, a light golden glow began to trace a symbol of some sort. It was fascinating to behold. I exchanged grinning gazes with Harry momentarily before continuing to stare at the picture revealing itself. When it was finished, it appeared to be a small bird inside a crest.

"What is it?"

"It's the original seal for the Order of the Phoenix." Harry said in awe. "It's usually only used on official documentation. It was on the papers we saw earlier, do you remember?"

I shook my head. "No, I—I was more focused on the writing than the pictures."

"You would be." He said teasingly.

I stuck my tongue out at him. "So what was that spell you just used?"

"Oh, erm, it's usually used to reveal invisible ink. Your mum must have used some self-covering carver of similar magical build for it to be able to work. You're right, she's smart."

"I'll tell her you said that. Now, how do we get it open?"

"Easy. _Alohomora!_"

The box opened swiftly and I jumped back. The box itself was relatively big, about the size of a small suitcase, so packed inside were a few stacks of papers, a wooden box, and some odd-looking devices that I assumed to be of magical origin. I went for the papers first, obviously.

As I flipped through them, they were just what I expected them to be. Old mission documents, profile papers, and even a few take-out menus from some oddly names pubs. As I kept going through them and emptying the box, I saw the book my mum had first brought out. I grabbed it and turned to the page that changed my life.

_I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brain Dumbledore, leader of the Order of the Phoenix and spell caster of the _Sempercieo Nunsolus _charm, do hereby decree the bonding between Harry James Potter and Hermione Jane Granger on this night, August 26, 1981. The specifications and wording of said spell work is cited below by Mister Remus John Lupin._

_I, Remus John Lupin, spell caster of the bond between Harry James Potter and Hermione Jane Granger swear on Unbreakable Vow that the wording cited henceforth is the wording I used to perform the bond one this night of August 26, 1981._

_Lily Marie Evans-Potter and James Harold Potter, do you willingly bless the union_

"Hermione."

Harry's voice paused my reading. "What?"

He was holding a small piece of paper and looking at it with an unreadable expression on his face. After a moment, I realized it was a photograph.

"It's us."

"What do you mean?"

He handed me the picture and I felt something in my stomach warm up to an insanely high temperature. The two moving figures in the Wizarding photograph looked so innocent and adorable I had to do a double take. The picture was of a very young Harry and I, not even a year old by the looks of it, playing on a checkered blanket with a few toys and laughing with each other. I had seen baby pictures of myself so I recognized me immediately. Harry was very easily distinguishable as well with his jet black hair and piercing green eyes. We looked so carefree — so innocent. It was an easier time.

"I had almost forgotten that our parents were friends." Harry said softly. "We must have had play dates all the time. I wonder when this picture was taken…?"

I turned the photograph around. "July 16, 1981. Neither of us was even a year old yet."

"Wicked."

"Are there any more photos?"

"A few, but that one was the only one that stuck out to me."

"Right." I said, still looking at the picture. "We should put it all back before my parents get back."

"Mm." He said halfheartedly.

I handed the picture back to him to put away and then handled all of the papers I had taken out. It took us no more than two minutes to clean it all up. I pushed the box back to its original spot and got up to leave, Harry close behind me.

When we reached the bottom, I opened the bookcase for the two of us to get out and shut it once more when we were in the hallway, making sure everything was in the right order. Any number of things could set my perfect-oriented parents off. I had to take extra precautions to cover up our tracks. Not that the attic was forbidden, but I didn't want to have to answer any questions when there was nothing really to question. Weird logic, but I like to avoid confrontation whenever possible.

When I was finished locking up the bookcase, I was surprised to see Harry standing a few feet away, his eyes focused on me. I gave him a questioning look and he took a few steps forward. When he reached whispering distance I began to worry.

"I hope in time you'll be able to trust me, Hermione." He spoke soundly. "What's the good of being engaged and all if we can't even take each other's word without question?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. Time heals all wounds."

"Let's hope so."

And with that, he left.

"Hermione we need to talk."

"What about?"

"Just come on!"

Kat dragged me to a nearby corner. "_What?_"

"You know _exactly_ what." She said matter-of-factly.

"Kat, you always say that, and then I end up not knowing half the time. This is one of those times. What was so important that you had to drag me out of a perfectly nice conversation?"

"Ever since Harry's gotten here, you've gotten all secretive. I can't even remember the last time I went over your house."

"Oh." I said, feeling horrible for not realizing it before. "I'm sorry. Did you want to come over after school?"

"Well, actually, I work every night after school, but that's beside the point." She said in a flush. "I miss you. It's like Harry is stealing you away from me. Like _he's_ your new best friend."

"No!" I said hurriedly. "Of course not. He's just been taking up a lot of my time lately."

"And why is that?"

"He's been having trouble in Chemistry." I answered honestly. I had to tutor him nearly every night, so it was definitely no lie. But it was a clipped version of the truth of which I still felt horrid.

"And your duties as Miss Perfect require you to help those in need." She said knowingly. "You and your helping-people-thing."

I smiled. "Yeah. My helping-people-thing."

"Well I hope he's repaying you in some way. He should at least give you a shag a day for the amount of homework we get in this school."

I snorted. "That wouldn't be necessary."

"Wait. So you're _not_ shagging?"

"What? No!"

"_Oh_." She said in a drawl. "I knew I should have gotten your word before I assumed things."

I waved it off. "It's fine. Why were you even assuming them in the first place?"

"Well you guys live under the same roof, you both look amazing together, and Drake keeps on giving him the evil eye whenever he comes around. Looks to me like he's jealous, and jealousy in men never comes without reason."

I gave her an odd look. "Well he has absolutely nothing to be jealous about, if he even is at all. Harry and I are only friends, I assure you. The only thing that is going on under our roof is work, work, and more work." Of course, when I said the last two works, I meant Harry's new-found obsessive teaching methods.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

She studied me for a moment and realized I was telling the truth. "Okay then. I'll be back."

"Wait, can't I just meet you at the lunch table?"

"Oh, sure, yeah." She said as she took off down the hall.

I didn't know what she was up to, but whatever it was seemed too fishy to me. But there was nothing I could do about it since she was already halfway down the hall and I had no desire to sprint after her. So, I turned back to the lunchroom and took a seat at our regular table, and by "our" I mean mine, Kat, Drake, and Harry's. But Drake had yet to make an appearance so it was only Harry and I.

"What did Kat want?" He asked through a mouthful of turkey sandwich.

I wrinkled my nose in distaste before answering. "She wanted to know why I've been so secretive this past month."

"You didn't tell her the truth, did you?"

"Of course not. But I want to like no other. I feel horrible. She's my best friend and I'm hiding the secret of all secrets from her."

"It's for the best. If this all works out according to plan, you can finish your schooling here and have a normal life."

"But I'm _not_ normal. Not anymore. Not since you came knocking on my door announcing yourself as my long-lost fiancé." I rested my head in the palm of my hand.

"I'm sorry to be such an inconvenience."

"No, I didn't mean it like that." I said in defense. "I just mean that I can't go back to being normal because my life has just had another layer added that I've only just discovered. Even when this thing is over with, I don't know where my life will lead me. For right now, I'm taking it as it comes."

"Well hopefully when the choice comes, your decision will come naturally." He said. "I know that when we had to go to career counseling in fifth year, it was pretty overwhelming. There are so many choices and you're still so young. It's maddening sometimes."

"Combine that with the well of possibilities here and I could end up in a mad house."

He chuckled. "I'm sure you'll be fine."

"I hope so." I said mournfully. "I just hope that—"

"Hermione?" A deep voice interrupted.

I turned around and saw Drake smiling down at me. "Yes?"

"I was wondering if I could have a word with you." He said gently.

I looked over at Harry, whose face had seemed to change from pale to red as a turnip in a matter of seconds. I clicked my tongue and turned back to Drake with a smile. "Certainly."

I heard Harry groan from behind me and held back the urge to shoot a raspberry at him.

I let Drake lead me over to the same corner that Kat had taken me a few minutes earlier. As soon as her name popped in my head, I looked around for her and spotted her taking a seat by Harry. His face was still red and Kat was probably telling him to stop getting jealous, though I knew specifically that he wasn't. He was just deluded into thinking that Drake was a Death Eater.

"So I've been meaning to ask you something since school started, but haven't really mustered up the guts to say it." He said shyly. His hands were in his pockets and his head was bent. It was tragically cute.

"You need help with Advanced Literature?" I asked teasingly.

He chuckled. "No, not that pathetic. Well, actually, it may be even worse."

"Oh?"

He looked up at me slowly. "You know that Abbie Witherspoon has that Halloween Party every year, right?"

"Yeah, it's a week from Friday, right? On Halloween night?"

He nodded. "Well I figured since it's still pretty early and I_ really _need to ask you this question, it would be a safe bet."

"A safe bet for what?"

He inhaled a large intake of breath and looked me in the eyes. His silver orbs were absolutely intoxicating. "Would you do me the honor of being my date to the Halloween party?"

My stomach felt as though it was being levitated like a feather. Had he really just asked me out? He did.

_Well say something, you idiot!_

Wait. Didn't Harry say something about this earlier?

_Who cares? You've been waiting for this moment for nearly a year. Say yes before he goes away and this all turns into shit!_

"Yes. I'd love to." I said in a rush.

A charming grin spread across his face. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Fantastic! Oh, maybe you would like to invite your new friend Garry as well."

"It's Harry." I corrected, an odd sensation spreading through me at the mention of his name.

"Oh, sorry. My mistake." He apologized. "He's new here and could use the opportunity to go out, don't you think?"

"Absolutely." I agreed. "He's been extremely busy lately and could use a night out."

"Well that's the perfect opportunity for him. It's always a lot of fun."

"Tons."

We were both grinning at each other like madmen, but in the best way. He looked behind him at the clock and he looked as if he just realized something. Turning back to me, he had an apologetic smile on his face. "I have to get to the Chemistry Lab to finish up an extra credit assignment. Sorry I couldn't talk for long."

"It's fine. You got to ask me that question."

"That I did. Well…" He paused a moment and then leaned in quickly to give me a kiss on the cheek. He pulled back with a blush. "I'll talk to you later."

I nodded dumbly. "O-okay." He turned around and began to walk away and I waved to his retreating form. To my surprise, he turned around and waved back before heading out of the cafeteria and into the halls.

I made my way back to the table with a silly grin plastered on my face. I probably looked like some deranged clown. But I didn't care. Right now, life for me was absolutely wonderful. There were no more traces of remorse or second guesses, only sheer giddiness.

"So what did Drake want?" Kat asked suggestively.

"Oh he wanted to ask me something."

"Ask you what?" She pressed.

"Ask me to be his date for Abbie Witherspoon's Halloween party!" I said in a high-pitched, excited voice.

Kat and I started to scream and giggle in excitement for no more than ten seconds before a voice with the volume of the Gods erupted like Mount Vesuvius.

"**_WHAT?_"**

**A/N: Your reviews have been awesome! The theories and suggestions I've been getting really inspired me to make this the most HHR-oriented chapter yet. Another shoutout to my beta Vincent with his amazingness! Thank you all :)**


	10. Gravity

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Gravity**

________

"_Something always brings me back to you  
It never takes too long  
No matter what I say or do  
I still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone_

You hold me without touch  
You keep me without chains  
I never wanted anything so much  
Than to drown in your love and not feel your rain

Set me free, leave me be  
I don't wanna fall another moment into your gravity  
Here I am and I stand so tall  
I'm just the way I'm supposed to be  
But you're on to me and all over me"

Sara Bareilles (Gravity)

There were so many emotions going through my head it was hard to grasp onto one and hold it.

Date. She was going to go on a date with him. And it didn't help that right after I erupted in a slew of emotional discharge, she looked at me with eyes that could kill. So, naturally, I did the first thing that popped into my head. I ran. Well, sprinted was more like it. But, of course, she followed. Soon after I stopped to take a breather, I heard her footsteps halt behind me.

"You could have at least hidden your displeasure with a scoff or something, Harry."

I turned and saw her with her hands around her chest, looking at me with a disapproving glare. "No I couldn't have. Damn it, Hermione I _told_ you he was bad news. I _told_ you he would make a move and this is how you heed my warning?"

She rolled her eyes. "Until I see proof, I won't believe you."

"I know. But unfortunately, I don't keep pictures of greasy little ferrets in my back pocket. The only way I could prove anything to you is with a pensieve."

"What's a pensieve?"

"A magical device that allows someone to see memories."

"Why don't you pull it out then?"

"I don't have one. The only person I know who owns one and would willingly give it up for my usage is Dumbledore."

"Ask for it then if you're so desperate." She sneered.

"It's a last resort. I know Draco will mess up and throw his mission into shit eventually."

"And how can you be so sure?"

"It's Malfoy. He couldn't complete his Charms coursework, let alone a mission that could rock the very core of his master's inner circle." I said confidently.

"You seem pretty confident." She said, looking me over once. "What if you're wrong?"

"I'm never wrong." I said smoothly.

"Everyone is wrong sometimes." She said resolutely.

"So you could very well be the one who is wrong here." I said with a smug smile.

She shrugged. "Possibly."

"Aha! A crack in the stubborn exterior!"

"It's not a crack, more like a dent." She corrected as if I had just answered a test question wrong. "I figure that anything a guy repeats must have some significance, no matter how absurd."

"So if I repeated that I wanted you to sleep with me?"

"Charming." She said dryly. "It's comments like that that make me question your priorities."

"Oh come off it, Hermione. You know I'm only joking. For now." She raised an eyebrow and I sobered. "I am repeating it for a reason. Draco is a Death Eater sent by his master to besot you."

She sighed. "Okay. It still doesn't change anything. The only thing that has been remotely affected is the dent in my stubborn exterior, though I still don't know why."

I held back screaming "_BECAUSE IT'S TRUE!_" and instead settled for nodding like a moron. "It's better than nothing, eh?"

"You would think. But it's going to take a lot more than a dent and a little voice in my subconscious to sway me."

"You know, if it were anything else, I would admire that trait in you."

"But?"

"But now it's just bloody annoying and pointless."

She chuckled and removed her hands from around her chest for the first time since our conversation started. I took that as a good sign. Her entire composure seemed to change and I started to relax.

"He asked me to invite you, you know." She said.

"Huh?"

"Drake. He wanted me to invite you to the Halloween Party."

A bitter smile spread across my face. "He would. I bet he even said my name wrong."

"He—wait, how did you know that?"

I tapped the side of my head with my index finger. "I know him better than you think. I spent five and a half years in school with him before he mysteriously came down with the Wizard Flu."

She nodded, though I knew it wasn't in understanding. "So do you want to go?"

"I'll think about it." I said honestly. It wasn't as if I had any plans that day anyway.

She smiled. "Good. It would be nice to get out, yeah?"

"Yeah." I agreed. "Do we actually have to dress up as something?"

"You can but it's not a requirement. I think it's a good opportunity to let loose."

"Oh yeah. Dressing up as a famous icon of horror or literature is a surefire way to get people to know the real you."

"Shut up, it's all in the spirit of the holiday."

I shrugged. "I don't have a taste for it since it's the day my parents died and everything."

Hermione stiffened. "Oh Harry, I completely forgot! I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."

I held up a hand. "It's fine. Just because it holds a different meaning to me doesn't mean that I won't celebrate it. At Hogwarts we had an annual Halloween feast with floating pumpkins and everything. I didn't lock myself up in my dormitory and miss out on it, so I'm not going to skip out on a party just because it's on Halloween."

"So you're going?"

"I guess. Only if I can find a date."

"Why would you need a date?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You don't go to a party without a date or a wingman at the very least. It's, like, the code of parties."

"Oh, I'm sorry that I'm not familiar with your invisible book of social rules." She said in a heavy tone.

"You should be. My, my, you have much to learn."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"You have gorgeous eyes."

"W-what?"

I suddenly realized what I had just said. It came as a sort of shock to me seeing as I had been trying to act professional around her this past month and a half. "Sorry. I just… I said the first thing that popped into my head."

If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was blushing. "It… it's fine. I'm just not used to being complimented is all."

"Really?" I asked in disbelief.

"Well, yeah. Kat doesn't count and not many guys have paid attention to me long enough to say things like that."

"Well it's their loss." I took a step closer. "You're a great girl, Hermione. I mean it. Even if you are a pain in the ass."

"Well thank you. You're not half bad yourself." She said shyly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a confused best friend anxiously awaiting my return along with an explanation as to why you stormed out of the cafeteria."

"Do you have a believable justification for my actions?" I asked coyly.

She gave me a look. "It doesn't take much to explain a teenage boy running out of a cafeteria after one of his female friends announced her date with another teenage boy. Gods, she is going to have a field day…"

"What are you going to say?" I asked, confused as to what she was going to say. Being a teenage boy also made me incredibly dense to the female mind.

"You're jealous." She answered simply.

"But I'm not."

"_I_ know, but it's the only way that I can get her from suspecting anything. She already thinks you're jealous by the way your act whenever Drake is around anyway."

"That is not jealously, that's cold blooded hate." I said in defense.

"I know, I know, but Kat thinks any guy acting strange around another has to do with the opposite sex. It's just the way her brain is wired."

"Interesting."

"Yeah. Well, stay safe, and I'll see you next period."

"Alright."

With that said, she left. But there was a nagging sensation in my stomach as I watched her depart. Through my rage at her walking off with Draco I noticed that when they parted ways, after he planted that horrid kiss upon her cheek, she waved him goodbye as though she could not wait until their next meeting. I couldn't help but notice that she did no such thing with me and for some unknown reason it irked me. It was one of the many things that she did with Draco and not me, but the first to make me react in a way I could not recall doing before.

I think I'm losing my mind.

But, naturally, I didn't let that bother me for too long and began to slowly walk away to my next class. I could use a few more minutes to add some finishing touches to my coursework. It took me no more than two minutes to reach the room, but when I twisted the knob to let myself in I found it locked. I sighed and cursed my luck as I slid my bag off my shoulder and sat down on a nearby windowsill. It allowed me enough balance that when I pulled out my notebook, I could easily use my knees as an impromptu desk and make a few corrections to the problems.

I was never one to get too enamored with homework, but apparently today was an exception. When I felt a hand on my shoulder I felt as if I was being pulled out of a haze. Thankfully, almost nothing startled me, so when I arrived back to reality, I did so with a smile.

"Hey Kat."

"Hey Harry." She said with a grin. "Mind if I join you?"

"Erm, no. Go on ahead." I said, gesturing to the space beside me.

I knew it was useless to finish my assignment with her so close, so I reached for my bag and dumped my work back into it. I was about to zip it back up when Kat spoke. "So Hermione explained your little episode today at lunch."

I winced in pain as my finger got caught in between the zipper and the fabric of my bag. I held back any sound of pain as I removed it and wiped the little dot of blood that began to leak out of the wound on my jeans. "Oh?"

"I think it's quite cute that you're jealous of her going on a date with Drake."

"Cute?" I said in distaste.

"It's not a bad thing." She reassured, putting a hand on my leg. I looked down at the bold move and she removed it quickly, her cheeks flushing. "I think it's great you two found each other after all these years."

My eyes widened as I feared the worst. "She—she _told_ you?"

"Of course. I am her best friend and all." She said teasingly. "It's a huge coincidence that your uncle chose to send you here, though. I mean, out of all the state schools in the London area you ended up at Livonia."

"My uncle?" I asked.

"Yeah. The uncle who you grew up with after your parents passed."

"Right." I said slowly. "Did she give you my entire life story or just the good bits?"

She giggled. "Just the good bits, I guess. I practically forced that much out of her your second day here."

"Thought I was stealing away your best mate, eh?" I asked coyly.

She shrugged. "It's a given. But you two go way back so I don't want to intrude on that bond."

I nodded. "You're a good friend to her."

"I like to think so. I am the one who kept on pushing her to go for Drake, after all."

"Why would you do that?" I asked hotly.

She seemed surprised at my response. "Well, she really likes him. But, of course, she is too shy to make a move so I helped her along. After realizing you two weren't already sleeping together, of course."

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I jumped to conclusions. Hermione already berated me for it so there's no need to deny anything." She said, looking quite put out about the exchange. "It's just like me to assume the worst. Hermione was never one to have sex during school. It would take away from her study time."

"Really?" I asked, not quite surprised, but still a bit taken aback at it being said out loud. "It sounds to me like you want her to be more outgoing."

"I guess." She said. "But I still wouldn't change a thing about her."

"How is it someone like you befriended Hermione?" I asked curiously.

"It's a funny story, really." She said fondly. "We were both seven and our parents had just dropped us off when Hermione tripped on the sidewalk and everything fell out of her bag. I went over to help her pick it up, but a group of older kids got there first and started to kick around her things. She started yelling at them to stop but I knew it wouldn't do any good so I ran over and told them to leave her alone."

"You stopped a group of older kids?" I asked in wonder.

"No. We both were pushed to the ground and got our lunches stolen. But after they left she turned and smiled at me — you know, that Hermione smile — and thanked me for trying to help her. I said it was no problem but she wanted to repay me in some way so I said that if she agreed to be my friend, I would consider us even. We've been inseparable since."

"It's innocent events like those that define true friendship." I said wistfully.

"Wise words. I take it you have a friend like that as well?"

"Yeah, but we weren't talking about me. We were talking about you and Hermione."

"Well there's not much more to say unless I want to break the best friend code and live in guilt for the rest of my life."

"Completely understandable, though I still don't agree with you pushing Hermione and Drake together."

"What is your problem with Drake?" She asked. "I get that you're jealous and everything, but he's really a decent guy."

I bit back the first response that came to mind. I reminded myself that I was talking to a Muggle, and Hermione's best friend at that. "He just seems off to me."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever floats your boat."

I nodded and the two of us fell into an uncomfortable silence. I wanted to say something, but realized that there was nothing left for the two of us to talk about. I had never had an extended conversation with Kat before and now was definitely not the time to start. The only thing I needed to worry about was a date for the Halloween party. Without one I would have no chance of knowing what kinds of tricks that Draco was going to use on Hermione and would have a horrible time at a party which was never a good thing. It was then that an idea struck me.

"You're going to the Halloween party, right?" I asked.

"Of course. I just need to find a date first. I can't go to a party and show up single. Especially since Hermione has already gone off and got one."

I smirked. "Perfect. How would you like to go with me?"

"What? Are... are you serious?" She asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you fancy Hermione, don't you?"

"N—" I started, but then I remembered that I had to go along with what Hermione had told her. "I mean, I need to get over her somehow. She doesn't fancy me back anyway so why not move on quickly before growing attached?"

"But I'm her best friend. It just doesn't seem right."

"Do you want to be dateless to the party or not?"

"Harry, I can get another date. I'm not afraid to ask out the opposite sex like some people." She said as though she were talking to a five-year old.

I admit that I admired her approach. Not many girls could say something like that without giggling. But nevertheless, it was time to turn on the charm. "But I can't find another girl like you."

She smiled. "You're just saying that to get me to say yes."

"Is it working?"

She bit her lip. "A little. Keep going."

I smirked in triumph and pulled out a few old cards to add to the table. "I would really enjoy your company there. I need to get out and I can't think of anyone else to show me a good time."

A thoughtful look passed over her features. I looked at her expectantly as she contemplated her answer. She met my eyes with hers and smiled softly. "Sure. I'd love to go with you. But on one condition."

"What?"

"We're dressing up."

I plastered a smile on my face, even though my mind lurched in disapproval. "Of course."

The bell rang and students began to file into the hallway.

"Great. I'll talk to you later when I find some costumes." She said while grabbing her bag and standing up.

I stood up with her. "I'll be waiting."

Then, she did something I didn't expect. Leaning up on her toes, she placed her lips on mine in a soft kiss. It only lasted a moment, but it was enough to put a silly smile on my face. She turned around to leave after that and I couldn't help but sneak a look at her very nice behind as she bounced up and down.

"So what was that about?"

I turned and saw Hermione looking at me with an unreadable expression. She must have just arrived from lunch. I gave her a dazzling smile before replying. "I just asked Kat to go to the party with me."

"Oh." She said, nodding her head a bit. Before I could read the tone of her voice, she continued. "So you'll be going together, then?"

"That's generally the outcome of asking someone out." I replied with a laugh.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. It's your date. I'll be with Drake the whole time anyway."

I thought her response cooler than I had grown accustomed to, but I ignored it and spoke shortly. "Right. Well, we should be getting to class, don't you think?"

She nodded. "After you."

Right before I turned to enter the room, I could have sworn I saw Hermione's strong composure fall a fraction. But surely it was just a trick of the eye. She was in an odd mood to begin with, so I didn't want to worry about the small things. I had a date with Kat to ponder over, not Hermione's ever changing moods.

Unfortunately, Kat wasn't the one I spent the entire class thinking about.

_One week and two days later…_

"I cannot believe I am doing this." I mumbled as I finished straightening my tie.

It wasn't as if it was a real date anyway, more like an outing to make sure Drake didn't make much progress with Hermione. And before you say anything, no it was not out of jealousy. It was my duty; what I was here for.

As a child growing up in the Wizarding world, I wasn't too familiar with the dressing up some Muggles did on Halloween. So when Kat insisted that we do just that for the party, I hesitantly agreed to be safe. A few days after, she approached me with a bag filled with clothes and said that we, Draco and Hermione included, would be going as a flapper group. Now, I had no idea what that meant, but I just smiled and nodded, taking the bag from her and peaking inside while she wasn't looking.

I ended up wearing a black and white pinstripe suit with matching hat. Though I still don't know what exactly I am going as, I'm going along with it on the prospect that I will figure it out when I see her half of the ensemble. If I still don't get it by then, I'll just subtly ask Hermione. There's no harm in that. At the moment, she and Kat were getting ready for the party in her room. They promised not to be long so as soon as I was finished putting together the outfit Kat had picked out for me, I headed out of my loft and into the main house to wait for them.

As soon as I entered the house, I could tell something was off. Sure enough, when I entered the foyer, I saw an unpleasant figure dressed in similar attire to mine, though his was reversed so that the smaller stripes were black and the majority was white. He must have heard my footsteps for he turned around and smirked.

"Hello, Potter."

"Malfoy."

"My don't you look dashing. Looks like Kat really went all out for this flapper theme. You look like you just stepped out of a bad porno."

I gritted my teeth, half because his insult was truly tasteless, and the other because he knew what the hell we were going as. "Likewise. The flower on your pocket really accents your feminine side, well done."

He sneered. "At least I can pull it off."

I snorted, knowing full well that he felt ridiculous. "Come off it, Malfoy. You hate being confined in Muggle clothes. Why don't you just go home to your silk robes and doting house elves where you belong? We both know that you won't pull this mission off without something going wrong. So please, save yourself from humiliation and turn back before I expose you for what you really are."

"Nice try, Potter, but you're wrong. I've got Hermione in my hands and there isn't a thing you can do about it. If you wanted to turn me in, you'd have done so by now. Obviously there is something, or someone, holding you back."

"What are you on about, ferret?"

"Oh fess up. You don't want to turn me in because you're afraid you'll break poor Hermione's heart."

"That's ridiculous!" I defended.

"Is it?" He asked smugly. "The moment she refused to believe you, you could have easily turned me in with a pensieve or photograph, but instead you choose not to. Is it because you do not have the resources? No, of course not. I suspect you've already alerted home base of my presence here. So why would you not get rid of me? I'm obviously the reason you're here. You know all about my plan and can get rid of me with one floo call. There is only one explanation. You're trying to do the admirable thing and let Hermione find out for herself so that you are not to blame for her unhappiness."

"You're insane. The reason for me not turning you in is of my own benefit, not Hermione's."

"So you don't care for her at all?"

"Of course I do." I said quickly. "She is _my_ fiancée after all."

He briefly raised an eyebrow, a classic Malfoy move. "Touché, Potter."

"I was always the victor in our early disputes, after all. Then again, you always hid behind Crabbe and Goyle before I could really say anything too offensive."

"Clever, Potter. Did you come up with that yourself, or did your pet Weasels send you a how-to manual?"

"Shove it, Malfoy, before I get annoyed."

"Oh I'm so scared. What are you going to do? Pull out your wand in front of Hermione and hex me into oblivion? I don't think she'll react too well to her date being unconscious on the floor."

"You had better not try anything funny, Malfoy. I'll be watching your every move. I'm not afraid to send a jelly-legs jinx or two at you on the dance floor."

His lip curled. "You can try."

"I w—" I stopped mid-breath when I heard footsteps descending the stairs. Both Draco and I straightened our composures as our dates came into focus.

Kat came down first. She was wearing what appeared to be a dress of some sort. It was mid-thigh in length and seemed to be made out of a thin black fabric and layered with fringe that bounced and swayed when she moved, also emitting a light sound every few steps. A long pearl necklace was around her neck and tied in a large knot around her midsection. Her hair was styled in large curls that made her hair seem much shorter and atop it was a gold sequin headband with a bundle of black feathers attached on the side. The outfit was complete with black fishnet tights covering her creamy legs and high fuck-me heels that lifted her an extra three inches off the ground.

She smiled brightly as she caught my eye and I returned it with similar enthusiasm. She looked a picture in that outfit and I couldn't help but appreciate the wonders her shoes were doing for her legs. Only when I absorbed her outfit as a whole did I begin to recognize what the term "flapper" meant.

When Kat reached me on the floor, I greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. "You look great."

"Thank you." She responded. "You look very dashing yourself."

"Well I tr—" I was interrupted mid-sentence once more by the sound of footsteps on the staircase. I turned away from Kat to see Hermione descending the staircase with a shy look on her face.

Her outfit was identical to Kat's except for her dress, which was a pearl white color, and her shoes, black flats that made barely a sound on the wood. But even though her outfit wasn't as black and alluring as Kat's, her appearance was more than enough to make my jaw drop. She looked like an angel; an angel that I couldn't take my eyes off of. Her cheeks were pink with embarrassment by the time she reached the bottom step.

I was speechless, though I wanted to say so many things.

"You look gorgeous." Draco said, taking her hand and kissing it chastely.

I held back my gag reflex at the gesture and tried my best to maintain a cool appearance. I wanted to be the one to touch and compliment her, not the slime ball she was blushing for.

Wait, what?

"I think we should head out before my parents arrive with the camera." Hermione said jokingly.

"Too late." A voice came from the living room.

Hermione's expression turned to one of annoyance as she turned to face an ecstatic looking Jane, holding a camera with her hands. Edward was behind her with a similar expression, but maintaining an unruffled air about him.

"_Mum_." Hermione groaned.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but this is your first date. And you all look so adorable in your little costumes." She cooed.

"I don't mind." Kat said breezily.

"Kat…" Hermione said warningly.

"It'll only take a moment." Jane said.

"But—"

"It's fine, Hermione. Your mother means well." Draco chirped.

My jaw locked as I saw Hermione begin to give into their pleas. The only two who hadn't said anything about the situation were myself and Edward. I looked back over to him to see his eyes focused Hermione, then shifting to Draco, whose arm was sliding around her waist. His expression clouded and swiftly, his eyes made contact with me quickly before going back to Hermione and Draco once more. It looked as though he was just realizing that Draco was Hermione's date. Before I could analyze any further, I was being pulled into a group shot with the others.

Thankfully, Draco and I were not positioned together. The people I was standing between were Kat and Hermione, Kat being on my left, and Hermione my right. I put my arm around Kat's waist when Jane announced to be ready, but for some reason, my eyes were drawn to Hermione just before I saw a flash in front of me. I turned to see the camera positioned atop Jane's eye.

"Harry, come on, look at the camera." She said teasingly.

"Sorry."

She pressed the button once more with my attention now drawn to her. The flash burned my eyes for a moment, but after blinking a few times, the afterglow was gone. We all dissembled from our pose together and Hermione pulled her mother aside and began to speak in hushed tones. I smiled at the exchange, but forced myself to look away.

"I swear, Hermione gets so weird whenever attention is paid to her." Kat said whilst shaking her head.

"Pardon?"

"You know, whenever anyone wants to take her picture or compliment her, she gets all defensive and tries to become invisible. If she just embraced it once and a while, she could really go places."

I briefly looked back over at her. "But then she wouldn't be Hermione." I added softly.

Kat gave me a look, but then smiled softly. "I suppose you're right."

Hermione returned from her chat with Jane and announced that it was time to leave. We all followed her outside and climbed into her car. She had volunteered to drive there and back since everyone agreed to meet at her house. I was forced into the back after an almost unnoticeable shove from Malfoy when I made a move for the passenger seat. I felt bittersweet as I settled for the back with Kat. Seeing Malfoy in my seat up front made me want to punch something, but having full opportunity to sneak glances at Hermione without her noticing was a nice boon.

The silent ride allowed me time to contemplate Malfoy's words before about my intentions for not turning him in. Sure, I cared for Hermione, but she wasn't the reason I was refraining from getting rid of him right away. It was so I could prove to myself that I could do it without assistance. It was because of my pride and nothing else. Hermione's benefit was just an added bonus.

Right?

No. No second guessing. My intentions are entirely my own so that I can complete this mission knowing I did it without assistance. I was to train Hermione, get rid of Draco Malfoy, and survive my mail-order seventh year. After that, I could return home and get back to my normal life with Ron and Ginny, the Order, Sirius, and the task I was born to complete — defeating Voldemort. Hermione was nowhere in my thoughts. Not even right now as I stared at the back of her head.

_Stop it, Potter, you're entering dangerous territory. _A warning voice said in the back of my head. _You're here with Kat._

_Yes, but the whole reason you invited her was so you could show up and spy on Hermione and Draco. _Another voice chirped in, this one sneakier and inviting.

_It is not spying, it's protecting. Hermione is still weak and Draco could take full advantage of that at any time._

_You're just trying to make up excuses so you don't have to admit you care for Hermione._

_Well, of course I care for her. She's my friend._

_She's also your fiancée and she's here with another bloke._

_That has nothing to do with it! Just because we're bonded doesn't mean I have any sort of claim on her._

_Yes, it does. You are a part of her, even if neither of you realize it._

_That's absurd. I know nothing of bonds, but what little I do know tells me that they can easily be lifted and transferred. They're flimsy and therefore mean little._

_They are only as strong as the bonded make them._

_Hermione is my friend._

_And you're fiancée._

I had never realized you could give yourself a headache by thinking too much. I made a mental note to never have internal debates ever again because by the time we reached the party, my head was pounding. I exited the car with a hand on my head, trying to bear the pain. If only I was back at my loft so I could brew a potion or something to get rid of it. Silly me, I didn't know any first-aid charms.

"Are you alright?" I heard a soft voice ask from beside me.

I lifted my head to see Hermione looking at me worriedly. "I'm fine." I lied, removing my hand. "Just a bit dizzy from the car ride. Even after all the rides to school and back I'm still not used to the dragon."

She chuckled. "Is that your new name for my car, The Dragon?"

"The Dragon?" I repeated thoughtfully. "I like it."

She smiled and started to back up toward Draco. "I hope you enjoy the party Harry."

"You too." I said quietly. I wasn't sure if she heard me, but I chose to believe she did.

I walked over to Kat and let her lead me into the large house. It was even bigger than the Granger's, which was saying something. It was made entirely out of stone and stood three stories tall with windows so intricate I thought the belonged at a castle rather than a home. In fact, the whole place looked like a castle. It was no Hogwarts, but it was still quite overwhelming. As we entered, I heard a loud song playing around me. Their foyer was three times the size as the one we had just departed from and was decorated with plenty of expensive-looking furniture. People were scattered here and there as we maneuvered around the house. After arriving in the main area of the party, I deducted that there were very close to two hundred people here. The main room seemed to be an old ballroom of a sort, which brought me back to the assumption that this house was an old castle. There was a large area a few meters away where people were dancing and at the very end of the room was a booth with someone operating a large machine that seemed to be the source of the music.

Kat and I found a place to sit at a nearby table and she set down the bag she had grabbed on the way out. "You want something to eat?" She asked over the music.

"I'm alright, actually."

"You want to dance, then?" She asked, making a gesture over to the dance floor.

I shrugged, indifferent about the suggestion. "Sure."

She grinned and took my hand, pulling me onto the dance floor. The song was very upbeat and couples around us seemed to be dancing in a way I recognized from the Yule Ball my fourth year. A few years after that, I had taken a girl dancing at a Wizard club once when it first opened in London, hidden from Muggles. She had taught me how to dance like that quite skillfully. So thankfully, I wasn't completely clueless when Kat pressed herself against me. I grabbed her waist and held her to me as we moved our hips to the rhythm of the song. I buried my face in her neck for a moment, getting lost in the music. When I resurfaced, the song had changed to one of similar sound so we didn't cease dancing. I was actually beginning to enjoy myself when I saw a new couple join the mob on the floor.

Draco and Hermione were a few feet from us and I knew that Draco had done it on purpose, for when Hermione wound her hands around his neck he looked around her straight at me and winked. I felt a heat rise in me but tried to keep up my pace with Kat. I tried to avoid looking at them, but no matter how hard I did, they still managed to make their way into my vision. The way they were dancing was killing me — so close, so intimate. I knew I was dancing similarly, but seeing Hermione do it (and with _Malfoy_) pained me. I saw every touch, every grind, every fucking move they made and it was driving me insane.

I pulled away from Kat and spun her around to face me. She was flush from the fast movements and her hair was a little messed up, but she still looked every bit as cool as when I first saw her.

I leaned in close to her and spoke over the loud bass of the song. "I think I want that food now."

She nodded and we walked over to the long table filled with snacks and drinks of every variety. I grabbed a plate and piled it with crisps, candy, and tiny sandwiches before pouring myself and Kat some punch from the bowl which I suspected had already been spiked. But I didn't care.

When we went back to our table, I started to chug the punch and tasted the slight pinch of liquor embedded in the fruity mixture. It came as a nice relief and I set the cup down. Kat was looking at me in amusement.

"Thirsty much?"

I nodded. "A bit. I think someone spiked it, though."

She shrugged. "I'm not driving home."

She took a sip of her own and nodded to herself before grabbing one of the crisps on her plate and nibbling on it. I shifted my attention back to my own plate and tried to use my food and drink as a sponge to absorb all the bad things I was feeling. I downed three drinks in five minutes. There were so many thoughts going through my head it was hard to grab hold of them, but somehow, I could name one: jealousy. I was jealous of their closeness, of Malfoy's charming her, of them being together at all.

The song changed once more, this time to a soft, piano melody. The singer soon began to preach her lyrics in a melancholy tone and I let my eyes drift back to the dance floor. Sure enough, there Hermione and Draco were, now swaying in an intimate embrace. They were only a few inches apart, talking and smiling. It was then that I realized that I had to do something to break them apart. He was too close to her and she was enjoying herself too much. Maybe it was the faint buzz of the drinks I had just downed, or the fact that my headache was now gone, but something made me excuse myself and make a beeline for the dance floor.

I reached them quickly and tapped Draco's shoulder. Hard. He turned and saw me glaring at him. "Can we help you?"

"Excuse me." I said coldly, swiftly pushing him aside and standing in front of Hermione.

"What? You can't just interrupt me and my _date_."

"Well, I just did. You were dancing and _whoosh_, I'm cutting in." I said in a slightly dazed voice.

"But tha—"

"Drake, it's fine." Hermione said softly. "It'll only be one song."

A sour look passed over his face for a moment, but he brushed it off quickly and nodded. As soon as he turned his back, I wrapped my hands around Hermione's waist in a feather light touch and she moved her hands to my neck.

"Why did you do that?" She asked as we began to sway in time with the song.

"I had to do something." I said honestly. "I can't stand the fact that you're letting him touch you when he's only using you."

She sighed. "Harry I—"

"Please don't shoot down my honest warning again. Let's just enjoy the Draco-free moment."

She scrunched up her nose. "Fine. But we'll talk about this later."

"Fine."

I pulled her closer to me and out bodies became flush with each other. An unexpected jolt of electricity passed through my body at the movement and it took me a moment to begin moving again. She pressed her head to my chest and I smiled at the pleasant reaction I got from it. The song began to pick up pace slightly as the crescendo of piano and voice mixed together. I took a risk and pulled back from Hermione slightly to dip her. She looked at me with an odd expression on her face, but she was smiling, so I took it as a good sign. I pulled her back up and spun her around a few times before pulling her back to me and going back to the same position as we started, this time with the side of my face resting on her curls. Only when I felt her nuzzle against me did I go rigid.

She felt me stop dancing and looked up at me in question. "What's wrong?"

"I—I have to go." I said quickly.

Even though the entire point of me dancing with her was to prevent Draco from doing the same thing, something in the way she was making me feel scared me. There was something inside of me that was feeling things I hadn't before. So, I did the first thing that came to mind. I got out of there.

I rushed out of the ballroom and into the hallway where a few people were entering. I pushed past them and looked for a room. I found one near the end and opened the door to close myself inside. I kept the light dark, but I could tell that this room was no room at all, but a very large coat closet. I didn't want to move, though, for fear of running into Hermione again. I leaned against the door and banged my head a few times against it, trying to rid myself of these feelings. It didn't work. I cursed into the empty room. I knew that running wasn't the greatest decision, but it was a reflex. After a few minutes of being inside the confined space, I knew that I had to find some other way of ridding myself of these new feelings. I cracked open the door to get out, but heard a familiar rustle of fabric that made me stay within the darkness of the room.

The hallway was dim in itself, so I could only make out the silhouette of the person outside the room. But I recognized the dress instantly. Kat. Soon, a new plan began to form in my head and I grabbed a hold of it before I changed my mind. Reaching forward a few inches, I grabbed the silhouette's arm and pulled her to me. She let out a squeak of surprise and I closed the door before she could let out any noise of protest.

"I'm going insane." I said in a husky voice. "I need you."

"What?" She asked in a slightly higher voice than I was used to hearing from her.

I pulled her closer to me. "I need you."

"Dr—"

I placed a finger on her lips. "Shh."

Before she could say anything else, I removed my finger and cupped her face, placing my lips to hers. They were softer than I remembered. But, then again, she had pulled away before I could really grasp their overall feel. I decided that I liked them. A lot. I pulled her closer to me, my hand winding around her back. Our bodies became flush against each other and it was like two pieces of a puzzle finally clicking together. She fit perfectly. I deepened the kiss and I told myself that this was the best idea I had had in a while.

She began to respond and wound her hands up around my shoulder blades. We were practically one. I massaged her tongue with mine and she let out a moan of approval. I smiled into the kiss and continued teasing her. With all of our twisted limbs, we began to sway slightly on the spot. I broke out kiss for only a moment before reattaching and removing my hand from her face. I made a trail down to her breast and began to slightly caress it. She arched into me and I pulled away from our kiss once more to safely back her into the wall. As soon as we hit it, I tenderly kissed her neck before returning to her addicting lips.

My eyes fluttered closed as I began to pour my all into the kiss. I wanted this to be mindless — raw, even, filled with need. But it turned out to be quite tender. Perhaps that was exactly what I needed. The room was filled with our smacking lips and low moans of pleasure. I removed my hand from her breast and traced all the way down to the hem of her dress, trailing up her leg. She shivered and removed one of her hands from my shoulder to place on the wall, presumably to balance herself. I quickly removed the hand that was on her waist and blindly found her hand with mine, interlocking our fingers. I moved our arms up above our heads and on the way, bumped something upwards. A moment later, the room was flooded with light that I saw as an orange glow behind my eyelids. I pulled away from our kiss, wanting to look her in the eyes and thank her for being here for me. But the eyes I met weren't the dark blue that I had been expecting. Instead, I saw a pair of beautiful chocolate brown orbs and my stomach dropped to the floor as the hand I had been trailing up her leg went limp.

"Hermione?"


	11. Airport Disco

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Airport Disco**

______

"_Just a blur of red and yellow  
Lovers dancing to the beat  
I saw you at the center of it all  
The most beautiful thing  
Oh I wanna take you home with me tonight  
I wanna take you home with me tonight  
It's on my head to remember  
It's on my head to forget  
That we used you for nothing  
And we couldn't care less_

Oh beautiful world  
Can I win you back?  
Beautiful world  
Have you figured it out yet?  
Have you figured it out yet?  
So why don't you share it with us

Just a blur of red and yellow  
That everyone chose to ignore  
We all sucked that beauty from you  
And kept coming back for more"  
- Athlete (Airport Disco)

"H-Harry?"

"Yeah."

"Oh my God."

He nodded.

I suddenly became aware that our hands were still intertwined above my head. I squeezed Harry's hand lightly and we moved our hands from each other. I didn't move my back from against the wall for fear that my knees would give out in shock. I shyly looked up at Harry's face to see him running a nervous hand through his hair while taking a step back.

"I thought you were Drake." I said quietly.

He looked up and our eyes met. Through them, I could see that he was as nervous and confused as I in this situation. But, then again, who wouldn't be? "I thought you were Kat."

"Fantastic." I said dryly.

A long pause followed. There was no way that this conversation wasn't going to be awkward. But there was going to be a conversation. That much I was sure of. I don't know how Harry usually handled situations like this, but I was always one for confrontation at the source of the problem for a quick solution. And we definitely had a problem.

"So do you just want to forget this ever happened?" He asked.

"Of course not." I said at once. "This isn't something we can just forget about, Harry."

He shrugged. "It was worth a suggestion."

"Well, suggestion denied. I'm not one to forget about something like this."

"My mistake." He said. "So what _are_ we going to do about it?"

"Talk. It's the only rational way to handle something like this."

"What do we have to talk about? We snogged, we both thought we were with someone else, it's not that complicated."

I sighed, wishing what he said were true. "It wouldn't be if we had a normal relationship. But, unfortunately, we happen to be engaged."

He gave me a silly smile. "I would think that would strengthen our relationship,_ sweetheart_."

I narrowed my eyes, not amused by his flirtatious comment. "Not when I came to the party with Drake."

"Oh, let's just forget about him and run away together."

"Harry, this is serious."

"I'm being completely serious. Oh, on second thought, why don't we just accidentally push him off of a cliff and forget all about it."

"I know you don't like him and are convinced that he is a Death Eater, but he is still my date and I just snogged another guy. This isn't something we can ride off with a joke and then permanently erase from our minds."

"We can with a spell."

I gave him a look. "And we're not taking the easy way out by using magic. I think we're both more mature than that." He smiled and I corrected myself. "Okay, one of us is more mature than that. But it only takes one to veto a bad idea."

"Okay, so we don't forget about this. But that still doesn't rule out pushing Draco off a cliff."

"We're not pushing him off a cliff. Nor are we going to mention what just happened."

"Wait… so you're _not_ going to be honest with your new beau? I thought that was key in any relationship."

I ground my teeth together. "Not if I want my first date to go well. I will tell him eventually, just not now."

"It's not as though we would break up with you over it." Harry said sourly. I gave him a look and he elaborated. "He's here to win you over, remember? So if you tell him, he'll act like the good guy and give you a second chance."

"According to you. And the dent."

He smiled softly. "I'm just saying that it wouldn't hurt your relationship if you told him. Besides, it was a misunderstanding anyway. It's not as if we planned this, it just happened."

"Right." I said in agreement. "It was a mistake."

"I didn't say that."

"But you just—"

"I said it was a misunderstanding, an accident at most, but not a mistake."

There was something in the way he spoke that made me shiver. "And why not?"

"I've learned to view nothing as a mistake. Everything happens for a reason and if you regret, you'll waste too much time pondering on what could have been instead of focusing on the present."

"Wow." I breathed. "That's really deep, Harry."

"Thank you." He said. "And plus, it wasn't as if it was a horrible kiss."

I chuckled. "No, it was not. But it still wasn't right. You're here to teach me magic and protect me from the Death Eaters from using our bond. We're friends, nothing more, nothing less."

"Yeah." He said quietly. "Friends."

His face had somewhat fallen after I had spoken. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He said quickly. "I'm just thinking. Nothing important."

"You're lying."

He looked surprised that I had caught him in the act, but quickly changed demeanor. "It doesn't matter, really. We need to focus on more important things like our dates. They are probably wondering where we are."

I shook my head. "No. After you left, I told Kat and Drake that I would go looking for you."

"Forever thinking ahead." He commented briskly.

"Always. Besides, someone had to find out what was wrong with you and I figured that it had better be me more than anyone."

He made an odd face at that. "Why?"

"Well, I figured it could have been magic related."

"Oh, right. Magic." He looked a bit put out.

"Was it?"

"No." He said promptly. "It was something else entirely."

"Care to elaborate?"

He smiled, almost pityingly. "You don't have to worry. Whatever prompted me to flee into a coat closet was most likely due to the alcohol in the punch."

"There's alcohol in the punch?" I asked in distaste.

"Of course there is. It wouldn't be a party without someone spiking the main source of hydration."

"How immature." I said coolly. "There are other ways to have a good time at a party."

"Like snogging in a coat closet."

I joined him in a short burst of laughter. "Sure."

"Are you saying you didn't enjoy yourself?" He asked in mock-offense.

My pause before answering was enough to get the both of us to stop laughing. We looked at each other in a long stare that made my stomach do an uncomfortable twist. I didn't want to answer honestly, because if I did, it would open a whole other can of worms that I wasn't ready to face. I needed to focus on my date, not petty feelings that this bespectacled wizard was starting to make surface. We had only known each other for two months for crying out loud! Anything I was feeling was just my body reacting to the hormones that were trying to take over my mind.

"I don't think I should answer that question." I said almost inaudibly.

He craned his head to the side and I bit my lip. "Why not?"

"I think you know why not."

He took a step towards me so that he was nearly as close as a few minutes ago when we had been attached like magnets. It made me shift against the wall to sedate the way my body was reacting.

"Hermione, you can tell me. It's not going to change anything."

"But it will." I said shakily.

"Is that such a bad thing?"

"Yes." I said, doing my best to remember why we were having this conversation to begin with. "Drake is waiting for me."

"I thought you said not to worry about that."

"I am now. I don't want to be a bad date, spending my time with the wrong guy."

"Then stay here."

I smiled sadly. "You know what I mean, Harry. I know you're trying to look out for me, but I can take care of myself."

"It's not just that." He confessed. I looked him in the eyes and saw that they had changed to a deeper shade of emerald than when we first began speaking.

"It's not right, Harry. It's just not right."

"What's not right? Damn it, Hermione, you felt that spark, I know you did." I bowed my head to avoid him reading my expression. "Don't go back to him"

"You have a date to get back to as well, Harry. I don't want to keep you away from the girl you wished you had been snogging."

"It's not like that."

"Then what is it like?" I asked, looking at him once more. "We weren't thinking clearly. You thought I was Kat and I thought you were Drake. Any feelings we may have felt were because we thought we were with someone else."

"There were feelings, though?" He asked hopefully.

"Not for you." I answered coolly. He recoiled at my biting tone, as did I. But I knew that it was for the best. "I thought you were Drake. Anything I felt was for him."

"You don't believe that. I know you don't."

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does! Don't convince yourself of this nonsense."

"I don't have to convince myself if I know it's true."

"Hermione, please."

"Kat really likes you, Harry. Do us both a favor and go enjoy yourself with her."

He inhaled sharply. "You may have convinced yourself that what just happened had nothing to do with the two of us together, but I'm not going to give into that idea so easily. I'll leave it be so you can go back to grinding against your precious _Drake_." He said the name as if it were poison. "But do it knowing that he's not going to be the only one thinking about you."

"Harry—"

He put a finger to my lips and I nearly melted onto the floor. "It takes one to veto a bad idea."

He removed his finger and gave me one last meaningful look before he walked over to the door and exited without another word. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding and sank to the floor. The dress Kat forced me into rode up a few inches, but I didn't care. Harry's words were now deep inside my mind and there was no use trying to rid myself of them. He was insistent that we had physical chemistry, and I was insistent that it was because we weren't thinking straight. I was here with Drake, _not_ Harry. Even after that kiss — that mind-numbing, knee-weakening kiss.

It was safe to say our relationship would never be the same, and neither would this date.

I sighed and forced myself back up, straightening the tassels on my dress and looking around for a mirror. I didn't see one and made a note to find the nearest bathroom as quickly as possible. I opened the door a crack to check if anyone was out there. I saw no one and quickly exited and began my hunt for the bathroom. I saw a door at the end of the hall with a paper on it and rushed over to examine it.

_Bathroom_, the impromptu sign said.

_Thank God._

I jiggled the knob and found it unoccupied. I thanked the Gods for my luck and rushed inside, closing the door behind me. The lights were already on and I saw a sink a few meters away with a mirror hung above it. I made a beeline for it and wasn't surprised to see a slightly ruffled-looking reflection of myself staring back. My lipstick was smudged only just and the only thing different about my hair was a few curls being not as perfect as the others. I turned on the faucet and wet my hands to do what I could to get rid of the signs that I had just spent the better part of ten minutes in a coat closet with Harry, two of those minutes attached to his lips like a sex-driven maniac. As I was rubbing the outline of my lips, I felt a tiny tug of something that made me pause. There was a part of me, and I wasn't quite sure which one, that didn't want to get rid of the mark Harry had left on me. It was like I was washing him off.

I quickly reminded myself that I was also washing off the stink of infidelity and continued on. When I was finished, I nodded at my appearance and left for the ballroom.

I saw Drake sitting at one of the tables, waiting patiently for my return. I smiled to myself and walked over to him. He caught my eye when I was a few steps away and stood to greet me. "I was wondering where you got off too. Harry just got back and I had half a mind to find you myself to tell you he had found his way."

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine. I found Harry and we had a little… chat about his behavior. I had to use to lady's room before I returned."

"Ah. Well, I got you some punch." He said as he reached behind him and held out a small cup.

I held up a hand. "No thanks. I heard someone spiked it."

He face fell. "Oh, well that's unfortunate. I've already had two cups of it myself. Perhaps I can get us some water instead?"

"That would be lovely."

He gave me a dazzling smile. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

I shook my head. He turned to leave and I found a seat at the table. The music had just changed to another slow song and I felt a pang in my chest as I remembered Harry intruding on Drake and I's dance. I recalled how he held me close, dipped and spun me in a way that made me feel as if I was in the middle of a high class ball rather than a Halloween Party in central London. I looked longingly to the dance floor and caught sight of a familiar tuft of ebony hair. I saw Harry dancing with Kat in the way I was just recalling and my warm demeanor quickly dropped in temperature as I looked at the couple.

"Here we are."

Drake had returned with the drinks and I thanked him softly. I took a sip and watched as he sat down next to me.

"Want to return to the dance floor before it gets too crowded?"

I looked back over and caught a pair of emerald eyes staring at me. I quickly looked away and turned my attention back over to Drake. "No, thanks. I think I'm all danced out for the moment."

"All right. We can just sit here and stuff our faces, then."

"Nothing would please me more." I said, thinking a slice of chocolate cake would be just the thing I needed to remain in a positive mood and forget all about the eyes that were still burning a hole in the back of my neck.

A few weeks passed, and before I knew it, Christmas break was only a fortnight away. Time was seemingly flying past, but with it came tons of new lessons in spellwork. It seemed that the lessons were the only thing keeping Harry and I sane. After the incident at the Halloween party, things became a little strained between us. Not that it wasn't expected, but still, the air around the two of us was thick with tension. Neither of us wanted to bring up the conversation we had in the closet, and so it was never spoken aloud since. Never spoken, but always present in the mind. With time, things returned to normal, somewhat. Kat and Harry never really became an item, of which I was guiltily happy about, and our lessons were continued as if nothing was different, aside from the fact that whenever we touched, a spark ran through us as though we had been struck by lightning. Thankfully, spellwork didn't require physically touching another, so we were safe in that aspect.

As of now, I had the knowledge base of a late fifth-year, early sixth-year, whatever that meant. I knew many simple charms, but also a fair few stunners and jinxes that would come in very handy if anyone ever got on my nerves. I was also becoming increasingly better at dueling, which was a nice accomplishment. Harry still got the better of me more times than not, but I still considered myself to be fairly adequate for someone of my experience.

Drake and I had only gone out two more times after the Halloween Party, thanks to Harry and his rigorous schedule for magic lessons. I knew he was doing it on purpose, and called him out on it more than once. But, he always had the better argument: Magic was more important than anything at this point. I didn't quite believe him until I was reminded just how vulnerable we were.

"Again." Harry said.

"_Confringo!_"

The board Harry had been holding in front of him blasted into a thousand pieces once more and he performed _Reparo_ on it to restore its solid form. It was the second curse I had learned that day and according to the amount of times I had successfully blown up Harry's prop, I had it down. But, of course, Harry made me do it over and over again to "commit it to memory" or something along those lines.

"I think I have it down now, Harry." I said tiredly.

"Yes, you do. But do you have the element of surprise yet?"

"Excuse—?"

"_Impedimenta!_"

"_Protego!_" I said, creating a shield to absorb his spell. "_Glacius!_"

The cloud of subzero smoke I sent at him was brushed aside with an almost lazily-cast "_Exorignis!_" The cloud collided with a line of fire and turned to harmless smoke that dispersed.

"You're going to have to do better than that, Hermione." He said, shaking his head. "You need to do something that catches your opponent off guard. Try to think outside the elements. For every element, there is its counter—ice and fire, smoke and wind, et cetera."

"No elements. Got it."

"Don't completely disregard them. Trip them up first and then send a freezing spell at them when they have the inability to counter it. After they're on the ground, then you have the upper hand and can finish them up in two spells or less."

I nodded in understanding. "Okay."

"Try again?"

"In a second, I'm going to get some water out of the fridge."

"Okay, but hurry back. We have a lot more to cover before the lesson is over."

"Aye, captain." I said with a salute. He smiled at me and waved me off. I set my wand down and promptly twisted around to make my way to the kitchen with a bounce in my step.

I decided to be lazy when I got there and just grabbed bottled water from the bottom shelf instead of using the built in filter. I uncapped it and took a sip, letting the refreshing beverage wash down my throat and quench the thirst. The blissful moment was interrupted when I heard a crash outside. I swiftly set down the bottle and padded quietly over to the door that led outside. I moved the curtain away from the window and peaked outside. Before I could get a good look, a light hit the door and sent me flying backwards. My back hit the tile floor and I let out a loud sound of impact. The remaining shards of the door flew haphazardly around and I covered my face to avoid any scratches. When I stopped hearing the dull thuds of wood colliding with the floor, I removed my arms and saw a figure standing in the doorway covered with a black cloak.

"Hello, Miss Granger." A deep, cold voice spoke.

My blood ran cold and I felt around for my wand. It soon occurred to me that I had left it on the couch to retrieve when I got back. I was defenseless. I backed myself up against the island behind me using my arms and legs like a crab, as it was the only thing I was capable of. The figure just chuckled and began to walk slowly towards me. When the lamplight hit him, I saw that his face was covered with a mask in the shape of a skull. I knew instantly who I was dealing with and screamed.

"_Silencio!_" A beam of undistinguishable color flew towards me and I could no longer hear my screams. My hands flew to my throat and the Death Eater chuckled.

"Foolish girl. It does no use to scream." He said darkly. "_Pertrificus Totalus!_"

My body went stiff and I could no longer move my joints. I recognized this spell, as it was one of the first I learned. "That's better. Now come on, poppet. We're going on a little trip."

Before he could take another step, an enraged voice spoke from behind me. "Get away from her."

The Death Eater looked up and chuckled. "Potter. Figures you would come to her rescue."

"Got me pinned, eh?" He said. "Get out of this house before I make you."

"Not so fast, Potter." He said, raising his wand and pointing it at me. "One step and your Mudblood fiancée will get it."

"You won't kill her, you need her." Harry said.

"Who said anything about killing her? _Cru_—"

"_Expelliarmus!_" He shouted, causing the Death Eater's wand to fly out of his hand. "_Diffindo!_"

The curse collided with the Death Eater's chest and he let out a grunt of pain. Blood seeped from the wound and he put a hand atop it to keep it from leaking any more. He tried to run towards where his wand laid a few feet away, but Harry was quicker and cast a spell I hadn't heard before. "_Sectumsempra!_"

It hit the Death Eater and caused him to collapse. At first, I thought he was knocked unconscious, but he soon began to let out noises of agony. Harry walked quickly over to him and turned him over with his foot, pressing it against his chest and pointing his wand to his head. The look of pure rage on his face scared me. "Leave and I will spare your life."

The Death Eater nodded stiffly and Harry removed his wand from his neck and muttered a spell that made the masked figure stop moaning in pain. He then removed his foot and walked over to where the wand was lying on the floor. He waved his wand over it and said yet another spell that I hadn't heard before. "_Portus._"

The wand glowed with a blue light and began to tremble briefly before returning to its original still state on the floor. "_Wingardium Leviosa._"

The wand levitated in midair and Harry walked it over to the Death Eater, who seemed too weak to do anything but quiver. "Tell your master that if he wants to lay a hand on Hermione, he'll have to kill me first."

"The Dark Lord will conquer," was the Death Eater's response before grabbing the wand and disappearing into thin air. I hadn't realized that I had been crying until I felt a single teardrop cascade down my cheek and drop onto my jumper. One tear was followed by another and soon they were pouring out from my eyes at a rate I couldn't control, because I was still muted and paralyzed.

Harry turned around after a moment and saw me lying there. He immediately rushed over to counter the spells I had been hit with. After I could speak again, I let out a loud gasp and began to sob uncontrollably. Soon after when I regained feeling in my limbs, I collapsed into Harry's arms and clung to him as I poured out all the emotions I was feeling: anger, shock, horror, pain, and everything in-between.

We stayed like that for what seemed to be eternity. He held me and occasionally ran his hand through my hair, muttering sweet nothings to calm me down. Halloween was a distant blur now. When it was just us like this, it seemed as though nothing else existed. It was so familiar, so safe. After a while, I sobered and straightened up in his embrace, placing my back against the island once more. One of his hands wound around my waist and I placed my head in the crook of his neck, silently thanking him for this moment. A moment I knew would stay in my memory for a long time to come.

"Why did he come here?" I asked hoarsely. It seemed like the crying had made my voice go out.

"I don't know. Dumbledore said that to get rid of the bond, one had to fall in love with another and then it would be transferred." He said thoughtfully. "I can't think of any reason they would come here and try to kidnap you if you weren't in love with anyone yet." He looked meaningfully at me.

"No." I said, sensing his unasked question. "I'm not in love with Drake or anyone else for that matter. We've only been going out for a month and a half. It's too early to be thinking about love."

He nodded in understanding. "Well, then there must be another reason. I'll have to inform the Order immediately."

"Don't go." I said softly. He looked at me with gleaming eyes. "I don't… I can't defend myself if you leave."

"Yes you can. You were just caught off guard without your wand. It was a careless mistake that anyone could have made. But from now on, you're going to have to carry your wand with you at all times."

"Even at school?"

"Even at school." He repeated in confirmation. "Keep it somewhere safe and easily accessible like your bag. Maybe we could even put a disillusionment charm on it later so that it will be somewhat invisible."

"Okay." I agreed. "But before we do anything, we have to fix the door."

Harry looked over to the open doorway and nodded. "You want to help me do it?"

"Sure."

Harry removed his arm from around me and got up. It felt weird having him leave, like a part of me just disappeared. The warmth he was radiating on me was now replaced with the cool breeze that was coming out of the open doorway. He held out a hand to me and I took it as he helped me up. When I was on both feet, I wobbled slightly, still slack from the counter curse. Harry put an arm around my shoulder to steady me.

"You okay?" He asked. It was a double-sided question.

"A little emotionally scarred." I admitted. "I've never been so scared in my life."

"Once you're ready, you won't be anymore."

"What if I'm never ready?" I asked worriedly. "What if they come back before I'm ready and I'm just a sitting duck waiting for them to take me away to their master?"

"Don't think like that." Harry said firmly, removing his hand from around my shoulder and spinning me around to face him. "You'll be ready only when you allow yourself to be. It's all in your head. If you think you're ready, you will be. If you want to rely on the amount of spells you know in comparison to others, you'll be vulnerable. When the time comes, it will come to you. For now, let's fix your door and work our way up, yeah?"

I nodded, smiling. "Yeah. Thank you, Harry, for everything. Especially saving my life."

"It was nothing."

I wanted to ask him about the curse he used to drop the Death Eater, but decided against it. It seemed like a question for a later date. Something about the spell didn't seem right and I would eventually find out what.

Harry gestured towards the door. "You want to check outside for any pieces?"

"S-sure." I said, casting a weary glance at the door.

"Don't worry." Harry said reassuringly. "I'm right here."

"I would feel better if I had my wand."

He smiled. "_Accio Hermione's wand!_"

My wand came flying into the kitchen within seconds and landed safely within Harry's hand. He held it out to me and I thanked him softly. Turning around, I took a deep breath before heading out the door. My pace was slow, but I couldn't make myself go any faster. I kept telling myself that everything was fine now. Harry was only a few meters away if anything went wrong and I now had my wand to defend myself with so I wasn't completely reliant on him. I stepped out into the cool breeze and let it rush past me. I was about to cast a faint Lumos to help my search, but a glimmer in the corner of my eye stopped me.

I turned to my right where the distortion was coming from and held back a scream. Before I could think of anything else, I yelled "Harry!"

I heard him sprint from within the house and come up beside me. "Hermione what's…?" He followed my line of vision. "Oh my Merlin."

There, engraved in the pavement between my house and the garage loft, was a message written in red flames, flickering about in the wind but never extinguishing.

_Old-fashioned methods aren't the only way to accomplish things. Watch your backs, for the darkness will persuade the surrender of half the light_.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed the early chapter! Thank you all so much for the great reviews and feedback, and thanks to my beta Vincent for being awesome and getting this chapter to me early :)**


	12. Sway

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Sway**

__

"I talk to you as to a friend  
I hope that's what you've  
come to be  
It feels as though we've  
made amends  
Like we found a way  
eventually

It was you who picked  
the pieces up  
When I was a broken soul  
And then glued me  
back together  
Returned to me what  
others stole

__

I don't wanna hurt you  
I don't wanna make you sway  
Like I know I've done before  
I will not do it anymore  
I've always been a dreamer  
I've had my head among  
the clouds  
Now that I'm coming down  
Won't you be my solid ground?"

"You're sure it was a Death Eater?"

"Yeah, Remus." I said with an eye roll. "He was all in black, had a mask shaped like a skull, and looked like he ate a few baby foxes for dinner."

"That's disgusting, Harry." Hermione said in distaste from behind me. She stuck out her tongue to emphasize her point, but I blatantly ignored it.

"Disgusting, but probably the truth." Sirius chirped in a cheery voice. I could always count on him to make light in a very dark atmosphere.

I had just finished telling Remus and Sirius about what had transpired a few minutes ago — the Death Eater, the message, and everything in-between. By the time I was finished there was a pause longer than the Nile and filled with a dark, thick mood. Hermione insisted on being present during the floo call. At first, I thought it was because she wanted to see how the Floo Network worked, but she threw me for a loop. In case they needed more answers, she wanted to provide details about the attack. She sure had gotten over the shock quicker than I expected.

"Is that Hermione I hear?" Remus asked suggestively.

She had stayed quiet the entire story and was a foot's-length behind me so she couldn't see either of the Order members on the other side. It was a wonder they heard her at all, or she my comment about the Death Eater eating foxes. They must all have impeccable hearing abilities. I nodded in answer to Remus's question and his face brightened.

"Why doesn't she stick her head in the floo? I haven't seen her since she was a tyke!"

I gave him an odd look. "Why?"

"I want to see her, of course." Remus answered offhandedly. "And ask her a few questions."

At the prospect of questions I had no choice but to agree. "Hold on."

I pulled my head from within the flames and turned to Hermione. "They want to speak with you."

"Really?" She asked.

"Didn't you say that you wanted to come here to answer questions?" I asked curiously.

"Oh, yes." She replied. "Of course. Just tell me what to do."

"Just stick your head into the flames. The connection is already made so you'll be directed straight to Grimmauld Place. I'll go in right beside you if you'd like. With a fireplace this large, we can fit easily."

"Sure. I'd very much like you to be there with me." She sounded abnormally formal but I chose to ignore it.

She crawled in place next to me and our shoulders touched briefly. I felt a short tingle where the contact was, but it disappeared quickly, so I couldn't place it. We stuck our heads in the green flames and were instantly transported back to Grimmauld Place. Remus and Sirius were conversing in hushed tones and I cleared my throat to alert them of our presence. Remus turned to us with a grin.

"Hello, Hermione." He greeted brightly.

"Um, hi." She responded nervously.

"No need to be afraid. We're the good guys." Remus said soothingly. "We just need you to answer a few questions for us."

"Alright."

Remus nodded to himself and searched his mind for some of the blank spots my story had provided. "What spells did the Death Eater use? Anything advanced or had an unfamiliar effect?"

"No. He used a body-bind hex and a gag, both simple spells. But when used on someone wandless and caught off-guard, very effective."

"Indeed." Remus agreed. "Did he mention at all where he was going to take you?"

"He just said that we were going on a trip, he never mentioned a place."

Again, Remus nodded. He was the kind of person to absorb information like a sponge and not respond with a heartfelt comment. Not that he was cold-hearted or anything of that nature, he was just very brain-oriented. Without him, the Order would have lost many missions due to careless mistakes in planning.

"Were you hurt?" He asked gently, knowing he was touching on thin ground. "Did he try anything else on you?"

"No. On the contrary, I think he was purposefully using weak curses on me to keep me in good condition."

I was reminded how he was preparing to use the Cruciatus curse on her when I stood against him. "He tried to torture you, though."

Hermione turned toward me. She looked different enveloped in green flames, the embers framing her face just so — almost nymph-like. "He could have been bluffing. Was he even aiming his wand at me?"

"I…" I searched in my memory for the answer. When it came to me, I shook my head. "No."

"Is that so?" Remus said ponderingly.

"Yes. If he was meaning to kill me, he would have done so with one of the Unforgivables." She said plainly. I was surprised at how much she observed while traumatized. "He used very weak spellwork in order to bind me. My guess is that he was planning on taking me somewhere."

"Now why would he do that?" Remus asked softly, almost to himself.

"Our question exactly." I said numbly. "And with the added message on the pavement just outside the house, it's like a cherry on top of the fucked-up sundae."

"Harry." Hermione chastised me.

If I could, I would have held my hands up in defense. "You have to admit this complicates things a bit."

"Of course." Hermione agreed. "But that doesn't mean we can't solve it and go back to the way things were."

"Let's decipher the message before we get ahead of ourselves." Remus interjected. "What did the message say again, Harry?"

"_Old-fashioned methods aren't the only way to accomplish things. Watch your backs, for the darkness will persuade the surrender of half the light_."

"How do you remember all that?" Hermione asked with her mouth slightly agape.

"I've had to memorize longer predictions of doom in my day." I answered bitterly. Sirius gave me a knowing look. I changed the subject before Hermione began to ask questions. "Any idea as to what it means, Remus?"

One of his hands was stroking the tip of his chin in thought. It was a gesture that signified he was using his all to concentrate on twisting the cogs in his brain just right to come up with an answer. We all remained silent, Hermione following my lead, as we waited for Remus to come out of his reverie. A good five minutes passed before he showed any sign of progress. Unfortunately, it wasn't a good sign.

"I'm afraid I have nothing." Remus said sadly. "Voldemort is a smart being; he wants us to figure it out on our own so the effect is more dramatized than if he spelled it out in black and white. Or, in this case, red flames engraved in pavement."

"So what are we supposed to do?" I asked. "Look up riddles in a children's book?"

Remus chuckled. "I wouldn't go that far. I don't think it is a riddle at all. That would be far too convenient." He paused a moment before continuing, trying to put his theory into words. "It's a clue, but worded in such a way that it has the appearance of a riddle. It's a tactic used to cause confusion among your enemies. All we have to do is decode it without thinking of the meaning until we're absolutely certain, and then study evidence to back it up."

"In English, Moony?" Sirius asked with a dumb look on his face. And I mean that literally.

"We have to figure out what it means before heading to the library."

"Ah. Well, how are we going to do that, then?"

"Patience and brainpower."

Sirius clapped Remus on the shoulder. "Well, good luck with that one, mate."

"Sirius." Remus said warningly.

"I was kidding." Sirius said with a grin.

"Now is not the time to joke, Padfoot. The Death Eaters know where Hermione lives now. We have to take extra precautions for her and Harry's safety."

"Agreed." Sirius said with a nod.

"You mean a ward?" I asked.

"Yes. I think it would be best until we figure out the meaning of this message. I assume Dumbledore taught you the basics of how to conjure one?" Remus asked.

"Um, yeah. But I don't think I should do it. It wouldn't be as strong."

"It's the only choice we have right now, Harry. Sirius and I will be hard at work trying to decode this message." Sirius groaned from beside him and Remus shot a look of annoyance his way before continuing. "Your job is to protect Hermione. Remember that."

"But I could help — we both could! Hermione is wicked smart and I know Voldemort inside and out. I could try to tamper with our connection again and see—"

"Absolutely not." Remus interrupted, a serious look upon his worn features. "You know what happened last time we tried to use your connection for the Order."

"What happened?" Hermione asked in a small voice.

"Noth—"

"Harry was in a coma for a month."

I gave Remus a hard look. "I'll be more careful this time."

"We can't risk it, Harry." Remus said evenly. "With a connection like the one between you and Voldemort, the results are unpredictable and could be much worse than the coma. You're on a mission to protect Hermione at all costs and you can't do that very well from the afterlife."

I sighed. He had a fair point. It was in my nature to want to contribute as much as I physically could for the good of others. They say I got it from my mother and that combined with my father's stubbornness, I was not one to be trifled with. But I knew that Hermione was my main responsibility, so that was why I gave in.

"Okay. I'll lie back."

"Be on your guard, though." Sirius said, sounding more his age than I had ever heard. This, if you knew him, was something of a miracle. "If one Death Eater showed up, there's bound to be more in the future. The first may have just been a messenger — a wake-up call. If Voldemort is serious about capturing Hermione, he'll send someone like Dolohov or one of my insane cousins. Never leave one another's side."

"I wouldn't go _that_ far." Remus said in his technical voice. "But keep tabs on each other so you're ready in case something like this happens again."

"Will do, Moony." I replied, using his nickname to show my comfort with the new plan.

He gave me a small smile. "One more question, though. How is your training going, Hermione?"

We all turned to Hermione and she blanched with the shift of attention onto her. It took her a moment to register the question and even then her voice was a few notches softer than I was used to hearing. "Fine, I guess."

"Just fine?" Remus prodded. "How many spells have you learned?"

"I lost track after fifty." She responded honestly.

I had taught her upward of eighty or so spells. Only one-fourth of them were considered an advantage in battle.

Sirius whistled. "That's pretty impressive for a witch your age considering she's only been practicing for three months, give or take."

Hermione blushed. I could tell by the slight darkening of the embers that made up her cheeks and the way she bowed her head lightly to try and hide it out of sight. It was all quite fascinating to behold, really.

"I try my best." She replied shyly.

I let a silly smile slip past my lips which didn't go unnoticed by my godfather. The wanker. "Oh ho, and how is Mister Teacher over here, smiling all proud-like?"

"He's great." Hermione said fondly, making my stomach churn with pride. "But he can be a bit overbearing at times."

Sirius let out a howl of laughter and Remus chuckled to himself. I glared at the pair of them and looked at Hermione to make sure that what she said was in all seriousness. At first, she looked as passive as a statue, but with my eyes on her, she cracked and began to giggle. My jaw tightened as I quickly became annoyed with the people surrounding me.

"I'm not_ that _bad!" I said in my own defense before they could find the strength to speak.

"Not all the time." Hermione concluded through her bubbly laughter. "You can be quite controlling when you want to be, though."

I huffed as Sirius and Remus sobered.

"He's always been that way." Sirius said. "When he gets passionate about something, he can get a bit out of hand. Not — not that it's a bad thing, though." He caught sight of my irritated face and tried to defend himself. "You just need to tell him how it is."

"Oh, I do." Hermione said smugly. "I tell him when he's being an insensitive prick and that normal humans need to have a break in-between learning new spells."

"It's not my fault." I muttered as Sirius erupted in laughter again. "I think I got it from Snape."

"Oh that makes it_ tons _better." Sirius said through his heaving breaths. "You picked up a trait from old Snivellus. That's enough to explain everything wrong in the world."

"Shut up." I said irately. "After a year of Occlumency lessons from the creep, I learned a few things about Voldemort that helped me better prepare myself. He isn't resting or taking breaks. He's out there planning to kill me."

Remus nodded in understanding. Sirius was still too enamored with his own laughter I wasn't even sure if he had heard me. I sighed loudly.

"I know you're doing it for my own good, Harry, but Voldemort didn't have to learn six years of spells in the span of three months." Hermione said calmly, melting my angry demeanor slightly. "After being attacked, I know the danger. But I'm sure that with time, I'll be fine to face something like that on my own."

"A positive outlook." Remus said approvingly. "A very admirable quality in a situation like this."

Hermione smiled. "Thank you."

Remus nodded. "Harry, you have yourself a great student. Don't go overworking her."

"I won't." I said. "Often."

I could feel Hermione roll her eyes beside me.

"Before you go," Remus started, pulling out a piece of paper and writing something down. "I want your word that you won't go meddling into Voldemort's mind."

I sighed. "You have my word. I'll set up the wards and then go back to my role as the protector."

Remus nodded. Sirius, finally overcoming his laughter, spoke next. "We'll be seeing you Christmas holiday, right?"

"Of course." I looked over at Hermione. "We wouldn't miss it."

Hermione nodded in conformation, catching my eye briefly before turning back to the Marauders. "I'm really looking forward to meeting you all when I'm not surrounded by green flame. Now, it won't be as awkward since I've already met you informally."

Sirius chuckled. "It's not us you have to worry about at any rate."

Hermione cocked her head to the side. "Oh?"

I was as confused as she and mimicked the same motion. Sirius looked at us oddly for a moment before a wave of realization washed onto his features. "I didn't tell you! The Weasleys are coming here during the holiday as well."

"Really?" I asked, excitement bubbling up in my chest.

"Once they caught wind of you coming back for the holidays, they insisted." Sirius said with a wide grin. "It'll be a full house."

"Excellent!" I exclaimed, not bothering to hide my joy at the prospect of seeing my second family. "We'll see you in a couple of weeks, then."

"We can't wait to meet you in person, Hermione." Remus said.

"Ditto."

"Be safe!" Remus called just as I began to pull my head out from the fire.

"You know I will!"

Before Sirius started crying, I left. And judging by the look on his face, he was very close to doing just that. When I returned back to my loft and straightened up, my back made an unpleasant sound and cracked loudly. I winced and moved my arm around me to massage it gently. While I was doing this, I noticed Hermione's head was still in the floo. I shrugged, thinking she was just saying longer goodbyes. She shifted slightly, as though she was just about to leave, and that drew my attention to her very apparent rear end. Her slacks were stretched out just so and it provided a very nice sight for me indeed. I had never been one to pass up a glance at the female figure, and now was no exception.

"Harry?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin at Hermione's calling of my name. My eyes darted upward and I saw that her back was still turned to me. I let out a breath of relief before speaking. "Yeah?"

She turned around then, a worried look on her features. "What exactly is the connection that you have to Voldemort?"

I stiffened. I had been so comfortable talking about it with Remus and Sirius that I had completely forgotten that Hermione had no knowledge of it whatsoever. "I'm not sure you want to know."

"If it was strong enough to put you in a coma for a month, I think I have a right to." She said blatantly.

"It's not pleasant." I said, almost pleading with her not to talk about it.

She shrugged. "I don't care."

I sighed. "Fine. We'd better take a seat then."

"Somewhere comfy. My back is killing me." She said, massaging her back in a similar way that I had just been.

"My bed okay?" I asked hesitantly.

"Anything with cushions within jumping distance sounds like heaven." She said with a slight moan when her back cracked.

I nodded and pushed myself off the floor. I offered her a hand to get up and saw her wince as her whole body was forced to stand upright. I led us over to my bed and collapsed on the pillows. Hermione followed suit and we both let out a sigh of contentment.

"Is severe back pain always a side effect of using the Floo Network?" She asked.

"Only when you first use it. You get accustomed to it after a while."

"What's your excuse, then?" She asked, turning over on her side and smirking at me.

I turned to face her. "Probably more usage than I'm used to. My weekly updates and impromptu calls like this must have put a real strain on my back."

Her face suddenly brightened. "How about I give you a back massage?"

I gave her a weary glance. "I don't know if that's the best idea."

"Come on." She prompted, sitting up and crossing her legs Indian-style. "I'll do you and then you'll do me in return. You can tell me all about your connection with the guy trying to kill us, too."

I had to admit, her fingers massaging my aching back did sound plenty appealing in more ways than one. When I sat up, I felt an unpleasant twinge and knew that if I didn't take care of this, it was going to get worse by morning. Making my decision, I turned around so that my back faced her and scooted into her legs. Her hands were on my shoulders instantly and they felt like pure nirvana.

"Start from the beginning." She prompted.

I had trouble starting, wanting to just feel her hands on me. But she wanted answers. "You remember when I told you about Voldemort and the night he killed my parents?"

She paused in her movements, as though afraid to answer. She picked up again and spoke gently. "Yes."

"When he gave me my scar, he also transferred some of himself as well." I paused, holding back a moan as Hermione hit a tender spot in the crevice between my neck and my shoulder blade. "He made a Horcrux out of me — a seventh that we hadn't discovered until my fifth year."

"You said there were six earlier."

"I lied." I said bluntly. "We didn't discover I was one until I began having nightmares. They started early in my forth year, but didn't become anything serious until my fifth. In the dreams, I was inside a strange body and carrying out tasks both barbaric and horrid to behold. I was disgusted with myself because I thought they were normal dreams, the kind brought about by undisclosed desires. After a while, they began to get worse to the point of me waking up in a cold sweat. It wasn't until Ron told me I had been talking in my sleep in a voice that was different from my own that I went to Dumbledore. He concluded that Voldemort had made a connection between him and me the night he gave me my scar, allowing me an insight into his mind."

"Wow." Hermione breathed, her hands softening on my back and beginning to travel south.

"Mm." I mumbled in both affirmation and bliss. Gods, her hands were like heaven. "I also inherited his ability to speak to snakes."

"You can talk to snakes?" Hermione asked disbelievingly.

"It's called Parseltongue. It's a rare gift usually bestowed upon dark wizards like Voldemort or other decedents of Salazar Slytherin, one of the four founders of Hogwarts. It comes in handy once in a while, contrary to popular belief. Also, the chicks love it."

Hermione stopped massaging my back and I opened my mouth to protest, but she spoke before I could. "It's my turn."

I nodded, very much disappointed, and we reversed positions. I placed my hands tenderly on her back and was pleasantly surprised at the feel of her under my hands. Even though she was very much clothed, there was a heat radiating off of her that I wanted to explore. I began to gently massage her the way she had just been doing to me. Her back was extremely tense around the shoulders and I dug in deep to rid her of the knots. She arched into me and let out noise of pleasure of which I had to clear my throat in order to distract myself from becoming too enamored with. I continued speaking quickly after.

"Dumbledore enlisted the help of my Potions master and member of the Order, Snape, to help me control the dreams. He used complicated bits of magic called Occlumency and Legilimency to teach me. Ironically, Voldemort used to torture the minds of some of his victims before he killed, so it was a double positive for me knowing one of his old tricks."

"Did it work?" Hermione asked breathily.

"For the most part, but they still bothered me on occasion." I said, kneading another knot in her mid-back. "After vast amounts of research, I passed the idea to Dumbledore that I may be another Horcrux. He didn't discredit the idea, but found it highly unlikely. After reading up on it, we found that making a person into a Horcrux was possible, but very difficult to overrun. We searched for ages for the solution that didn't involve my death."

She inhaled sharply. Partly because of the sharp cutoff I made with my sentence and partly because I touched a tender part of her shoulder. I paused a moment and waited for her to give me the okay to carry on. After a moment of silence, she spoke up softly. "Go on."

I first resumed the gentle caress of my hands upon her skin, reveling in how such a tender moment could be so relaxing. Then I remembered that this was only a "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" ordeal and spoke up once more before I got too carried away.

"Finally, we came across something to pull the Horcrux out of me. It took a few days of mental conservation and upwards of five hours having painful spells shot into my ear, but it eventually worked. The thing came out of my mouth in a rush so quick I passed out. Later when I awoke, Dumbledore told me about how he had to hit the Horcrux with a very strong splicing spell in order to destroy it. But, it was out and all was well."

"And what of the con… nection?" The slight pause in her speak was due to my hands moving downwards across her spine and causing a delightful shiver to wrack her body. I smirked at the effect I had on her and did it again. She didn't seem to mind much as she let out a guttural moan. I was having too much fun with this.

"It was still there, only not as strong. It never came to me in dreams again, but my lovely scar and I still felt his emotions whenever they were vivid enough."

"What about the coma?"

I hesitated before I spoke up, not reveling in the idea that I had to relive one of my darker hours. "It was last year during Christmas holiday. There was an emergency Order meeting and I accompanied them in the hopes that I could help. A troupe of Death Eater's was moving towards Diagon Ally and no one had any idea what angle they were coming from in order to stop them. I blurted that I may still have the connection with Voldemort to use. Dumbledore didn't think very highly of it, but everyone else was willing to give it a go."

I stopped talking after that, hoping that it was enough information to keep her sedated. It wasn't. She spoke as evenly as one could while having their aching back massaged. "Keep on talking."

I sighed. "I was put in a safe room with Dumbledore, Remus, and Sirius. They had the floo ready in case anything went wrong or I needed emergency medical assistance. I concentrated hard on making the connection between our minds, thinking it was a one in a million shot since we had gotten rid of the Horcrux months ago. But, to my surprise, I made it inside. He was talking to Bellatrix Lestrange at the time, so I had the advantage. I plucked around for something that may give us a hint as to what his battle strategy was. I found something after a few minutes, but just before I pulled out, Voldemort stopped talking with Bellatrix and said 'Hello Harry' right before he sent a massive mind attack on me that threw me out of his brain and put me into a frenzy. I don't remember what happened after that. Remus said that I was having some sort of seizure in the chair I was sitting in and they had to floo me to St. Mungos to have my heart restarted. I think you can guess the rest."

"Oh, Harry, that's awful." To my surprise, she turned around, causing my hands to flop down to her breasts. I blanched and pulled away, avoiding her eyes. There was a long silence lasting a good minute.

"I'm sorry." I said softly.

"What are you apologizing for?"

I blushed, a very different characteristic about myself I was still getting used to. "For, erm, feeling you up when you turned around."

"Oh." Her cheeks colored as well. "Well, it's okay. It was an accident."

I nodded. Usually, when something like this happened with another girl, I would have made a corny, suggestive joke and get a nice snog out of it. But with Hermione, it was different. I still couldn't place why, something that bothered me to no end.

Her face then turned serious. "I'm sorry about what happened last year. It must have been horrible."

"To tell you the truth, I don't remember most of it." I confessed, feeling slightly guilty. "I just remember waking up to Sirius sleeping in the chair next to my bed at St. Mungos. I gave everyone a right scare, though. The hospital was beginning to drop hints about pulling the plug not a day before I woke up. Sirius wouldn't have it, though."

She smiled sadly. "He's great to you. So is Remus. I can see why you miss them. When I meet Ron and Ginny, I'm sure they'll have the same effect."

There was another pause, but this one was caused by me having nothing to say in response. I was happy for her to meet Ron and Ginny, but also worried that they might not get on. That was always the problem in situations like these. Your best friend brings home a new friend; there's bound to be some tension. But I couldn't say that. I didn't want to worry her. I wanted more than anything for her, Ginny, and Ron to get along. You can never predict redheads, unfortunately, especially when their last name is Weasley.

"To tell you the truth, I should be apologizing for everything." Hermione spoke, breaking the quiet atmosphere. "You have to stay here playing babysitter while your friends are off with the Order and at Hogwarts."

"There's no need for that, Hermione." I said seriously. "I chose to come here. They gave me a choice."

"That doesn't mean you're entirely happy about it." She said sadly.

"I wasn't at first. But after getting to know you and seeing what a great witch you're becoming, it's all worth it." I ended with a warm smile, hoping to ease her worries. "Believe me when I say that being with you is the furthest thing from a chore."

She looked down at the comforter atop my bed and began to fiddle with a piece between two fingers. I wasn't sure if it was because my last comment made her uncomfortable or she simply had nothing else to say. In order to figure out, I let her concentrate her attention on the fabric for a few moments before she spoke. Her head craned upward but her hands still remained busy.

"I hope that when this is all over, you'll come to visit."

Her words took me by surprise. I had been expecting a thank you or a wistful comment about the thick surroundings. Not the future. It was something that hadn't been touched upon much in our conversations. Nevertheless, I spat out the first response that came to mind.

"You know I will."

"No, I don't." She said simply. "You can go on in the Wizarding World and I'll be — I don't even know where I'll be. How can you know for sure if we'll meet again, how can either of us know?"

"Because the future is what we make it." I said knowingly. "We can't let anything but our own choices dictate it. And right now, I know that you're going to be a hard person to resist paying a visit to. These past few months have been great. Besides—" I cut myself off. I was going to continue on saying "I don't know if I'll even be here in a year or so." That was definitely not the way to lift her spirits, though it was the truth. I continued on with a more acceptable prediction. "I wouldn't leave one of my friends for good, especially when they were my fiancée at one point."

She chuckled at that and I let out a breath of relief. "I'm being silly, surely, worrying about the future when not twenty minutes ago I was being attacked by an unknown Death Eater in my own kitchen."

"It's not a crime to think of the future."

"When the bad guys are out to get us it is."

"Good point." I concluded. "I should probably start on those wards."

She nodded. "Right. Do you need any help?"

"I'm sure I can manage."

I began to get up, but a hand on my forearm stopped me. I turned and saw that Hermione biting her lip, thinking about something, while keeping a loose grip on my forearm. I paused and scooted closer for a reason I couldn't place at that particular moment. Her eyes drifted up towards me and I was hit with how lovely of a shade they were — a gorgeous chocolate brown.

"Harry I…"

She was hesitating. I think it was then that it hit the two of us how close in proximity we were. I had absolutely no problem with it, she, on the other hand, shifted away and I tried to hide my disappointment. Whatever this _thing_ that was happening between us was, it was unfamiliar ground. Unfamiliar, but in a way that I wanted to explore it and excavate its secrets. But with Hermione shying away, I was beginning to realize that I may never get the chance. Perhaps I should try and forget about it.

"Make sure to tell my parents about the ward. They should know."

I wasn't sure that was what she had set out to say in the first place, but I accepted it nonetheless. I nodded and swiftly lifted myself off the bed. My back was now fighting fit and I nearly smiled to myself at the cause. But, before anything else transpired, I left Hermione alone in my loft as I began to make my way into the main house to wait for Edward and Jane to get home.

Halloween really did have a sick way of twisting the mind. I just hoped that Christmas would bring some answers.

**A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews! I know this was mostly a filler chapter, but it had to be written to clue you guys in. Hopefully, you liked it regardless :) Thanks to my beta Vincent as well! You all rock.**


	13. Sink or Swim

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Sink or Swim**

"_Caught in the middle of a crossfire  
Lost my balance on a high wire  
Trying to figure out what to do_"  
- Tyrone Wells (Sink or Swim)

Pushed to the edge of my reason  
Everywhere around me it's treason  
I don't want to do that to you

Kamikaze airplanes in the sky  
Are we going down or will we fly?  
This could be a shipwreck on the shore  
Or we could sail away forevermore  
This time it's sink or swim, sink or swim

We were scheduled to leave at two in the afternoon for Grimmauld Place. Winter break had just started and both Harry and I were eager to get out of this house and into the Wizarding World. For different reasons, perhaps, but it all lead to the same destination. The previous weekend, I had made a trip to downtown London with my parents and Harry to purchase presents for friends and family. Since I had already picked out Harry's gift weeks ago, I had no hesitation about him coming along. Plus, he wasn't bad company, either.

When we entered a local sweet shop for some sugar-free candies to fill the little containers around the house, Harry insisted on trying everything in the store. He had never tried Muggle candies before. At first, I told him to only pick a few things out. But, of course, he ignored me completely and bought one of everything in the store. Literally. He mentioned offhandedly that his friend Ron would be ten times worse than he if he were in the same store. That provoked me to buy some imported sweets in the corner as a gift for the redhead. I wanted to get something for his other friend, Ginny, as well, but I had no idea what she liked. Then I remembered that all women had one thing in common when it came to candy and made a beeline for the chocolate section. I bought Ginny a gift basket filled with an assortment of chocolates and called it a day after that. Hopefully, I wouldn't regret my last-minute purchase.

I didn't tell Harry of my impulse buys, thinking he would ruin my fun and tell his friends about it. I wanted to warm up to them my own way. And if that didn't work, the presents should do it. Not that I was desperate for approval or anything, but I couldn't help but feel intimidated by them. Ever since I saw that picture in Harry's room his first night here, I knew that I would never measure up to them. They had years of memories with him while I had only four months worth. I hoped beyond hope that they would accept me as more than a stubborn Muggleborn know-it-all that stole their best friend away.

Now, a week later, I was as ready as I would ever be for my trip to Grimmauld. I dedicated this morning to wrapping my gifts atop my bed since I had already packed last night. I had placed my parent's gifts under the tree, since they elected not to come with us. I would miss them dearly on Christmas morning, but knew that this Christmas would be one to remember despite their absence.

I had just finished wrapping Harry's present moments before he knocked on my door.

"Come in." I said, finishing tying the bow atop the metallic wrapping paper.

My door opened and I saw Harry in all of his mid-afternoon glory. He looked especially put together today with his emerald jumper and dark slacks. "Hello, Hermione."

"Harry." I nodded in greeting.

He looked down at the gift in my hands and smiled. "Is that for me?"

"Perhaps." I answered coyly. "But you can't open it until Christmas."

He looked put out, but only for a moment. I had already packed Ron and Ginny's gifts safely away in my bag, each shrunk with a handy shrinking charm. I performed the same incantation with Harry's gift and tucked it away in my bag safe and sound.

"I take it you're ready to go, then?" He asked with an amused expression.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I answered honestly.

He nodded. "Alright then, erm, your parents are waiting downstairs to see us off."

"Tell them I'll be right down."

He did an odd sort of bow-thing and left the doorway. I shook my head and ignored it for the time being. Getting off my bed, I grabbed for my bag on the floor and took inventory to make sure I had packed everything. I only had one bag filled to the brim with shrunken clothing, homework, and, oddly enough, my old sketch pad. Something inside me told me to bring it. I couldn't quite place what that something was just yet, but I followed it.

I shut the door behind me as I exited my room. When I walked down the stairs, I heard the blur of voices conversing before I could even distinguish who was talking. But, seeing as Harry told me my parents were waiting to see us off, I had a faint idea. I reached the bottom and saw Harry and my dad in a heated conversation while my mum watched with a smile on her face. She was the first to see me enter the living room and I barely had time to drop my bag before she enveloped me in a tight embrace.

"_I'm going to miss you so much!_" She said fervently as she began to sway.

I moved along with her and patted her back consolingly. "You can always come with us, mum."

She sniffed. "I know. But your fa—"

I heard someone clearing their throat behind her, cutting my mum off from whatever she was about to say. I tried to nonchalantly lean to the side to see who it was, but she shifted and blocked my view. She resumed talking with a strained voice and began to pull back slowly, as if committing this moment to memory. "Your first extended trip to the magical world should be special. If we were there, it would ruin the experience."

"I wouldn't say _ruin_." I encouraged.

She held me out at arm's length and gave me a sad smile. "You're sweet, honey. We've just… never been apart for a holiday… _ever_… and… and…"

Her stuttering soon turned into tears. She let out a loud sob and pulled me to her once more. I couldn't help but giggle despite myself. Over her shoulder, I saw my dad and Harry sporting similar reactions. I took the situation into my own hands after about a minute of my mother sobbing into my shoulder and pushed her back so that I could see her tear-stained eyes.

"I love you, mum, you know I do. I'll write to you every day if that's what you want."

My mum's face visibly brightened and she began to nod vigorously. "Yes, yes. That would be wonderful."

I smiled brightly, glad I had put her at ease. "Then I'll do it. One letter every day, alright? You don't even have to write back. I know how busy your schedule is since you're the only practice that is open this close to Christmas."

"Oh, don't be silly, of course I'll — I mean, _we'll_ — write back!" She said, wiping away the tears from her eyes and cheeks.

"Gods, mum." I said softly, trying to hold in my own set of tears. "Just promise me you'll stop by Christmas day. Harry said Mrs. Weasley is cooking a humongous supper."

"_Molly_ is cooking?" I heard my dad ask excitedly. I looked over at him and nodded. "Fantastic! We'll be there, sweetheart!"

"Great!" I exclaimed, looking back at my mother. "See mum? You'll see me before you know it."

She nodded with a smile that seemed forced. But the fact that she was making an effort was enough to make me return the gesture. I pulled her into another hug, this one very brief. After I pulled away, I walked over to my dad and pulled him into a long embrace.

"I'll miss you, dad." I said as I pulled away.

"I'll miss you, too, pumpkin." He said, kissing my cheek.

I walked back over near my mum and grabbed my bag, careful not to get to close so that she could pull me into another hug. I loved her, but I would hate to be late to Grimmauld. Plus, I feared that if she burst into tears once more, it would cause a similar reaction in me and I would never leave.

Harry took the hint that I wanted to head out and shook my dad's hand. He was just about to pass my mum when she made a grab for him and pulled her into her arms for a bear hug. I had to hold in my laughter when I saw the look on his face. It looked as though his eyes were about to bug out of their sockets. I put my hand over my mouth and giggled into it when she rocked him back and forth.

"Jane, sweetie, let Harry go. His face is turning purple." My dad said in a smooth voice, even though his face was going red with amusement.

Harry's face wasn't really turning purple, but it was enough to get her to pull back. A mother's instincts, perhaps — she didn't want to cause harm to any of her children. Since the moment Harry walked through our door, she treated him like her own son, so it was a very effective method.

"I'm sorry, Harry." She said meekly as my dad pulled her to him, holding her around the shoulders. It had the appearance of a tender gesture, but it was really to hold her back if she tried to tackle Harry or I again.

"S'alright, Jane." Harry said, rubbing his back discreetly. I smiled at the movement, remembering the massages we had given each other recently. His hands on my shoulders and lower back were like heaven…

"We'll see you on Christmas." My dad said.

"Y-yes." My mom said with a nod. "Christmas."

"Bye mum, by dad." I said as I turned to go towards the kitchen.

"Jane, Edward." Harry said quickly after, following me out.

"Goodbye Hermione! Harry!" I heard my mum shout. "DON'T FORGET TO WRITE!"

"Jane." My dad chastised.

I snickered to myself. I didn't hear her response to that, but I knew that it would have been something equally as amusing. I led Harry to his loft where we would be using the Floo Network. When I asked if there was another option other than jumping into the foreboding green flames, he said no. He didn't _feel_ like apparating. Oh, he had gotten quite a mouthful from me. But when he mentioned that most people vomit the first time they apparate, I kept my mouth shut and agreed that the Floo Network was the best choice.

Harry started a small fire in the fireplace with a quick _Incendio_. He waited until the flames were of acceptable height before turning back to me and beginning to speak.

"You see that urn there?" He asked, pointing to a decorative vase atop the mantle of the fireplace.

"Yes."

"Take some of the powder from it."

I gave him an odd look. I hadn't seen him start the floo when we contacted Sirius and Remus, choosing instead to use the bathroom. "You want me to throw the remains of a dead person into the fire?"

He chuckled. "It's not the remains of a dead person. It's floo powder. You throw it into the fire to start the connection."

"Oh." I said lamely, feeling like a complete moron.

Adjusting my bag on my shoulder, I reached up and removed the lid from the urn, taking a handful of the powder out. It had a silver sheen to it, giving it the appearance of ground metal rather than burned skin and organs. After I put the top back on the urn, I took a step back and turned back to Harry, awaiting his next instruction.

"Now, you throw the powder into the fire, then step in. Once you're completely surrounded by the fire, you should call out your destination: Number 12, Grimmauld Place. Make sure you're very clear or you might come out the wrong grate."

"That's all?" I asked.

He nodded. "It'll feel a bit weird, but you'll be there before you can say flobberworm."

I nodded and took slow steps into the fireplace. It was a very large space, so the top of my head was a good foot below the crown of the stone that made up the impromptu transportation unit.

I then threw the powder into the fire like I was bidden and watched as the bright orange flames abruptly turned a brilliant green. I walked hesitantly into the fireplace, felling the flames lick against my body, warm but not burning. "Number 12, Grimmauld Place." I spoke evenly. I was transported into a place where I saw grates around me, but couldn't be sure if that was what they actually were. In little over five seconds, I was tumbling out of a stone fireplace and onto plush carpet. I let out an audible _oof_ as I rolled onto my back.

I remained there, catching my breath and observing the room around me. Well, more like the ceiling around me. It was composed of very dark wood and had a chandelier a little to my left lit by candles. Before I could observe any more, I heard flames erupt beside me. Before I got the chance to move, I saw Harry glide gracefully out of the flames. I hated him for his experience with stuff like this. But, karma had a funny way of working things out. Harry took one stop out of the fireplace and tripped over my feet, falling atop me. He braced himself before he could completely crush me, of which I was eternally grateful.

Our eyes met and I felt something stir within me. He was awfully close. His eyes flicked down my face for a moment before meeting mine again. It was then that I realized just how close we were. His legs were entangled in mine and his elbows were barely propping him from colliding with my chest. I gulped as I felt the air around us shift. I should have moved. But there was also a small part of me that was applauding me for not. And that small part began to cheer when Harry began to bend his head down towards me. Our lips were a breath apart when we heard footsteps nearing us. Harry only had enough time to pull away before whoever was walking towards us reached their destination.

"Harry?"

The voice was an unfamiliar one. Harry tilted his head up and grinned meekly. "Hey, Ron."

I let my eyes roll upwards and caught a glimpse of red hair. Harry rolled off me quickly and stood up to greet his old friend. I stood up a moment after and saw the two embracing like two brothers would after a long time apart. It was a great sight to see.

The two detached and Ron's eyes drifted toward me. Instead of just standing there awkwardly, I waved. Only when I stopped did I realize how stupid I must look, waving to a complete stranger when just a few moments ago his best friend was just about to — yeah, let's not think about that. So, to make things less awkward for all of us, I made a second attempt at a greeting.

"Hello."

Yeah, that was normal and didn't make me look like a mentally unstable psychiatric patient.

But still, Ron looked at me as though I were an alien from Mars. I shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, out of ideas for the moment. The only other thing I could think of was a hug and that would only worsen the situation.

"Ron, this is Hermione Granger, the girl I wrote you about." Harry said loudly, cutting the tension with his voice.

_He wrote to Ron about me?_ I asked myself with a giddy inner dialog. I stopped myself before smiling though, crushing the unfamiliar feeling that was welling up in my chest.

"_This_ is Hermione?" Ron asked in disbelief. Harry nodded in conformation. Ron laughed to himself. "I thought you were just one of Harry's lovely little girlfriends."

I looked at Harry oddly. "Oh?"

"U-um, they're not really my girlfriends." He said shakily, nervously running his hand through his hair.

"Right, more like birds he picks up for a night then chucks the next morning." Ron said, correcting his earlier statement. At first I thought he was joking, but then I saw Harry shift uncomfortably from the corner of my eye. I turned towards him and saw his face turning a light shade of pink. What felt like a giant sack of potatoes hit my gut and I almost winced at the impact.

I narrowed my eyes at him, looking from a new perspective. Before he could get a chance to explain himself or I could begin the full-blown rant that I knew was about to spill out of my mouth, Ron spoke up once more, probably realizing that I didn't know about Harry's past with women and wanting to cover it up. "So you're Harry's mysterious fiancée?"

"Yes…" I said slowly, turning back to Ron. I stuck out my hand politely, making myself overlook the new bit of information I just learned for the time being. "Hermione Granger."

"Ron Weasley." Ron took a step forward and grabbed my hand in his, shaking it lightly. "Sorry for the stink-eye earlier. I just thought that with you and Harry… yeah, sorry."

I chuckled, releasing his hand from my grip. "It's perfectly alright. I would have done the same thing."

"Yeah, well, it's just lucky Ginny didn't walk in. You would have gotten an earful from her." He finished with a sour look on his face.

"Really?" I asked tightly, becoming instantly nervous at the mention of her name.

"It's nothing to worry about, really, as long as you can block a nice bat-bogey hex or two."

I wrinkled my nose in distaste, knowing exactly what that hex was meant for. I silently praised my luck that Ron had found us first. Even though I'd never met the girl, Ginny didn't sound like someone I would want to get on the bad side of. Hopefully, that would never happen and she would be a nice young woman to get along with.

Hopefully.

"So, erm, where is Ginny anyway?" Harry asked.

Ron shrugged. "Probably upstairs somewhere, reading a magazine or some other girly thing that I want no part of."

Harry took that as a good answer and nodded to himself. "Well, Hermione, do you want me to show you your room? It's right next to Ginny's so perhaps we'll run into her up there."

I nodded. "Great. It'll give us time to talk about your _girlfriends_."

Ron snickered from beside me and Harry shot him a glare. I couldn't help but feel smug, knowing now what I wasn't supposed to know in the first place. It was a new feeling that I was very much warming up to. Harry led me out of the living area we arrived in and into the main entrance hall where there was a flight of stairs. We climbed up them at a snail pace and walked down a wide hallway where there were about a dozen different doors scattered on either end. We stopped outside one in the middle and he pushed it open, walking into a room covered in different shades of blue. It was like it was decorated to mirror the clouds on a sunny day, something that made me smile.

I placed my bag on the four-poster bed and looked around the room, soaking up where I would be sleeping the next few weeks. The walls were painted powder blue with white trimming along the edges. The bed, dresser, and desk were all carved with similar wood all painted white. The bedding was a slightly darker shade and the pillows atop it looked as if they were overly stuffed with goose feathers. I doubted I would have any trouble sleeping in accommodations like this.

"It's lovely." I said walking over to the desk to the right and running my hand across the surface.

"Yeah. Tonks insisted on decorating the house. Sirius has absolutely no sense of home décor, apparently." Harry said with a laugh.

"Who's Tonks?" I asked.

"Oh, she's Remus's wife." Harry said, just realizing that he had never mentioned her before. "She's a Metamorphmagus, meaning she can change her physical appearance at will, and is one of the youngest advanced-Aurors ever admitted. She's also the clumsiest."

I chuckled briefly. "She sounds lovely."

"She is. But thanks to her mood swings, she isn't as pleasant as she used to be." At my curious expression, Harry quickly explained himself. "They're expecting a baby in April."

"Oh that's wonderful!" I said, clapping my hands together. "I'll have to congratulate them when I see them."

"Right. Well, I should really be going. People to greet and such." He began to back up towards the door, but I pulled my wand out and pointed it at the door just as he was about to exit.

"_Depulso!_" I banished the door shut and it complied within a breath. Harry flinched at the loud sound. I had no sympathy.

"I suppose you still want to have that talk, then?"

"You think?" I asked sharply. "Harry is what Ron said true?"

He paused, alerting me that he was going to try to sugar coat the truth. "He put it a little harshly… it's not_ really_ like that—"

"Then what is it like, hmm?" I cut in, not wanting him to go any further into his explanation without knowing that I was already onto him. "Do you just go to local pubs and pick up women — surf and turf them like a common man-whore? Or is it more like you have a lot of friends with benefits with a whole system and everything?"

His mouth was agape. I gave him a look that told him to talk or get out. I half expected him to leave, but he took a few steps toward me and talked in a soft voice, almost like he was a wounded animal. "I just… I go out sometimes during my time off school and let loose a little. That's not a crime is it? I need to get away once and a while from the pressures that surround me and…"

"And sex is the perfect release?" I ask hotly.

"Living in the now is the perfect release." He corrected. I rolled my eyes, but he continued on. "Look, Hermione, I — I don't even know if I'm going to be alive next year. I have a huge battle with the most powerful dark wizard of our time rearing its ugly head and it could cost me my life. After hearing the prophecy I made a vow to myself that I wouldn't say no to experiencing everything life had to offer."

"Then go to the Swiss Alps!" I snapped. "Experiencing life doesn't mean you have to sleep around with random girls. I've never slept with anyone and I bet I don't feel half as empty as you."

He gave me a sour look. "We must have different outlooks on life, then. You may not have realized this, but I'm not you. I'm not Miss Perfect who gets fulfillment with every perfect score."

"No." I said roughly. "You're Mr. Easy who tries to make himself feel better by being a slut." He reeled back slightly at my harsh statement, but I didn't take it back. I wanted to, but I didn't. It was the truth and he needed to hear it from someone. "Sleeping around isn't experiencing life, Harry. Life is what you make it. Only you can allow yourself to feel good when doing something. It's not the thing itself — it's your take on it. You could get just as much fulfillment by traveling the world."

"I don't have that much time left to do that, do I?" He asked coolly. "Besides, who are you to criticize my decisions, anyway?"

"I'm your _friend_!" I said in exasperation, throwing my hands in the air. "I care about you and I don't think you should be wasting your life away by—"

"Being a slut, yeah, I know." He finished equally as fervent. "For your information, I haven't slept with anyone since I met you. For all you know, I could be retired from that part of my life."

"For all I know." I said mockingly. "That's great, Harry. Just when I think I know you, you throw me another loop."

"You _do_ know me." He said, taking a few more steps toward me and putting his hands on my shoulders. "This doesn't change anything. I never lied to you. It's just another part of my past."

"It's a big part." I said, shrugging his hands off.

"Come on, Hermione." He said pleadingly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I'm still Harry. I'm still you're fiancée without all the benefits."

I held back a smile. "It changes my view on you."

"Are you going to hate me forever because of it?" He asked seriously.

"No." I answered honestly, sitting down on the bed. "It's just going to take me a while to let it sink in. I'm not used to not knowing things but I don't want to hate you because of it. I want more than anything to accept it and move on, but that's not the kind of person I am."

He took a seat next to me. I felt the mattress shift with his weight but refused to look at him. He was tainted to me now. He was silent and I didn't want to speak up again, as I had already said everything that was on my mind. So we both just sat there. The air turned thicker with each passing minute and I had to hold back the urge to get up and leave. After what I deemed to be a while of silence, I began to mentally analyze the situation, something I did on occasion. Of course, when I did it in the past it was usually because I couldn't figure out a difficult Chemistry equation. But that was really what this was, right? A hard question that needed to be solved logically, the question being whether or not I was acting reasonable in response to Harry's flaky past.

It was wrong, of course, using sex to fulfill your self-deemed life sentence. There were plenty of other ways, but for some reason Harry chose the physical touch of another. I wasn't a psychologist, but I had a feeling that it wasn't just a random lifestyle change. Of course, I could just be going barmy and be making up excuses for his irrational behavior. I didn't want him to have this kind of background with women, but there wasn't much I could do about it at this point. It was his decision, and though I didn't agree with it, I had to accept it if I wanted to keep him in my life. It was going to take some getting used to, of course, but I would try to make some sort of effort for his benefit. Even if he was a dirty man-whore.

I turned toward him to see that his eyes were focused on the closed door in front of us. He was probably contemplating a way to escape without consequence. I sighed and he turned to face me at the first sound that broke the silence.

"You can leave now, if you want." I said softly.

"But you—"

I held up a hand to stop him. "It's your life, Harry. I don't agree with it, I'm not happy about it, and I still don't understand why it bothers me so much. But I'll try and accept it, even though I know it isn't the logical thing to do."

Instead of looking pleased, he scrunched his brow and spoke in a monotone. "I just — I dunno why I — never mind. I'll see you downstairs."

Then, quick as a bolt of lightning, he opened the door and made a beeline for the stairs. I could only watch him leave, too dumbstruck to do anything else.

I had meant what I said, and the fact that it meant he was off the hook should have been enough for a smile at least. But no, what I get is a jumble of words that make no sense and a speedy exit. I don't know what it is about the two us, but something just isn't right in the way he was making me feel. When I should be mad at him, I forgive him. When I should overlook darkness in his past, I feel as if I've been hit with a stack of potatoes in my gut.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say that I was jealous.

I had never really felt jealously in this form before, so it was hard to believe that what I was feeling derived from that emotion. I had had pinches of envy when I saw Kat with her boyfriends, wishing I was in her place, sure. I even had a twinge of bitter desire when I saw the talents other people possessed such as singing in perfect soprano or dancing in perfect rhythm. But those were just small things, mediocre things that could be overlooked. This, though, this caused me to lash out at someone I care about. That couldn't be jealousy, could it?

"Hello."

I nearly jumped off the bed when I heard a high voice speak up from the doorway. There, leaning against the doorframe, was none other than Ginny Weasley. She looked just like the picture I had first seen her in — straight red hair, dazzling bright brown eyes, and a splash of freckles adorning her nose and upper cheeks.

"Hi." I said softly, not willing to get off my bed to greet her.

"You must be Hermione, right?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, and you're Ginny."

"Guilty." She said innocently. "Harry left in a right state."

A wave of embarrassment hit me. "You saw that?"

"I heard it more than saw it." She said, walking a few steps into my room.

"And what exactly did you hear?" I asked, fearing that she heard the horrid things I had just been saying to our friend.

"Enough" She said evenly. "I take it you found out about Harry's past methods of coping?"

"Yeah."

"You gave him quite an earful, from what I heard." I looked up at her, ready to apologize, but she had a look on her face that was more amused than upset. "No one's had the guts to do that since it started. Not even me."

That surprised me. "No one?"

She shook her head. "I told him he was being stupid, but not as vehemently as you. I don't think he would have listened anyway."

"You're one of his best friends. Of course he'll listen to you."

A small smile spread on her lips. "He may listen, but that doesn't mean he'll take it to heart. I've been trying to sort out for years what it was that got to him — what I had to do to make him see reason. It wasn't until recently that I realized it wasn't some_thing_ but some_one_."

"Pardon?"

She came to sit next to me on the bed and I felt a little nervous with her this close. "I've known Harry pretty much all my life. We've been through countless things together and I love him a lot, but I figured out a while ago that it wasn't enough. He needs to find someone that can keep him reasonable, sort out all of his flaws and above all, give him a reason to believe that he'll survive his battle with Voldemort. I don't know if he's found that person yet, but you're getting pretty damn close and you've only known him for four months."

"I — I don't know what to say. I mean, you're his _best friend_ and he won't even listen to you?"

"Again, he listens, but he doesn't take it seriously. It isn't because he doesn't care, I know that much. I haven't tried to get into his head since we started dating. He's a difficult person to read."

"Is that why you two didn't work out? Harry just said you were better off friends."

"It was a lot of things. But most off, when we were together it felt like it was just all pre-planned, like it was our duty to end up together. That wasn't enough to keep the relationship going, though, unfortunately. Sure, the snogs were great, but the emotions weren't there."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I said sincerely.

"It's all in the past." She said nonchalantly. "The important thing is that I've just sorted out that you're not as big of a bitch as I thought you were."

I was completely taken aback at that. "O-oh?"

She shrugged. "That was my first impression of you. When my mum told me Harry had to go away on Order business and miss out on school, I went straight to Dumbledore and found out the real reason. I knew it wasn't anything to do with Voldemort, as he's still incognito somewhere. Imagine my surprise when I find out my ex was engaged before he could talk to a girl who refused to believe in magic."

I blushed.

"So, naturally, I blamed you for his leaving and wrote you off as a best friend stealing bitch who was nothing but trouble." She said as if she was mentioning the change in weather.

I could see her side of the story, but it still stung to know that she once thought of me in that way. "How can you change your mind so quickly about me?"

"Easy." She said with a smile. "You rendered Harry speechless just before he left. I've never once seen that happen with anyone he's talked to. You're alright in my book if you can bring the great Harry Potter to a loss for words."

I let a smile work its way across my face. I felt an unfamiliar boost of accomplishment hearing those words come out of Ginny's mouth. Coming from one of his best friends, I knew it must be the truth. Plus, the fact that she confessed to blaming me for his leaving made her all the more human to me. She was no longer the unapproachable friend, but the honest relief that I was thankful to hear.

"You're not half bad yourself." I said.

She held out her hand and I took it swiftly, feeling cheerful now that I had gotten the two introductions I was most dreading out of the way. "Welcome to Grimmauld Place, Hermione."

I had no regrets about buying her the chocolates now.

**A/N: Thank you all for the amazing reviews! I hope that the introductions to Ron and Ginny were to your liking. I just didn't have it in my heart to write a jealous!Ginny for this story. It would just be too cheezy. This story is already cheexy enough without that added in. Also, thanks to Vincent again for being an amazing beta and helping me out with the Floo scene.**

**-Shar**


	14. Up Up and Away

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Up Up and Away**

"_We had a rocket  
That fell out of orbit  
We couldn't stop it  
We couldn't control it_"  
- Lights (Up Up and Away)

We ran a good course  
It was a good flight  
But I felt the hard force  
Holding me too tight

We are rockets in the sky  
We are planets passing by  
Up up and away  
Forget me  
Go your own way

All I could do throughout dinner was stare at her.

She had been introduced to everyone currently residing at Grimmauld; Molly, Arthur, Fred, George, Bill, Fleur, Remus, Tonks, Sirius, Ron, and Ginny. And, to both my pleasure and amazement, she got along with everyone there. Not that it was too incredibly shocking, but after her yelling at me for a good five minutes earlier that day, I found it hard to like her myself.

What _right_ did she have to tell me how to run my life? If she had never found out about my past dealings with the opposite sex, things wouldn't be any different. It was just one more skeleton in my closet and, quite frankly, wasn't the worst of them. So forgive me if I couldn't comprehend why she was taking this particular pile of bones in my life more to heart.

I looked down to the peas on my plate and sighed. That wasn't the most of what was bothering me, though, was it? At first, I didn't know what it was that was making me question my own judgment. Nothing, and I repeat, _nothing_ had made me do that before. I was the guy who always went head-first into things without regrets. Of course, that was before I met Hermione.

And then it hit me.

Never once had someone yelled at me about that aspect of my life before. Ron looked at me as a sort of God with women, asking me for advice in his own love life. Ginny chastised me with a wagging finger of disapproval but never went above a scornful tone. Sirius just smiled knowingly and told me it was all a part of growing up. On no account did anyone outright yell and tell me I was sleeping my life away. It was like a wake-up call, only all it did was open my eyes while I was still trapped in bed, no pun intended.

Hermione's view and reaction were like a breath of fresh air. And I couldn't figure out if it was pure oxygen I was inhaling or an odorless poisonous smoke. But that was Hermione, wasn't it? You could never figure out whether her argument was valid or not and by the time you do, you realize that the entire point of it was to make you think. Clever girl. Stupid, clever girl.

She was now in an animated conversation with Arthur. He had been overwhelming her with questions about the Muggle world since she arrived back downstairs. She answered reluctantly at first, but when she got the hint that this was all he was interested in at the moment, she complied with a smile. It provided me with the perfect opportunity to sneak glances at her without her knowing. I should be thinking more on why I was doing _that_ than her reaction to my past experiences, but I wasn't looking forward to the answer I would eventually conclude.

One thing was perfectly clear. I needed to talk with her again. Make sure she didn't change her mind and vow to hate me for all eternity. And maybe, just maybe, figure out why she was making me second guess myself.

"_Fascinating_." Arthur was gushing. "Muggles think of the oddest ways to transport themselves. You say they fly in pelihopters?"

"Helicopters." Hermione corrected. "And airplanes as well."

"Oh, marvelous!" Arthur said, jumping up in his seat.

Hermione smiled softly and took a quick bite of her potatoes before Arthur began questioning her once more. "And what of the schooling system? I've heard it is vastly different than how they do it at Hogwarts."

"Well, yes." She said. "Instead of Potions and Arithmancy, we have Chemistry and Maths. It's a lot more boring than the curriculum you're used to, I'm sure."

"Oh _no_. It sounds wonderful!"

I couldn't help but snort. Hermione looked over at me and gave me a knowing glance. I felt a weight lift from my shoulder when our eyes locked. I shouldn't base her newfound opinion of me with a single look, I know, but I think it's the small things that allow us the answers we seek. When preparing for battle, Dumbledore gave me an inside look to Voldemort's past by showing me his memories. Every little thing counted, he said, in the battle against him. So why can't I allow the little things Hermione does to be proof enough that there was still hope to fix what Ron has unintentionally broken? I _could_. And that was enough to work up the guts to give her a small smile — a smile that said everything a peace treaty did without all the flowery diction. Of course, negotiations still had to be made. But for the time being, this was enough to bide the time.

And she smiled back at me.

"Do you use this Chemistry to create potions, then?" Arthur piped up, causing Hermione's attention to shift back to him.

"Not unless you want to be rushed to a nearby hospital."

Arthur chuckled wholeheartedly. "Ah, so poisons, then?"

"Something like that."

"Interesting." He pondered lightly.

"It's mostly scientific." Hermione responded quickly. "They're not meant to drink. They're concocted for medicine and cleaning solutions."

"_Cleaning_ solutions?" Arthur asked in wonder.

"Yes. Muggles use a combination of things to get a spot-free shine to their possessions…"

My neck quickly snapped over to Hermione. She was still explaining the uses of cleaning solutions, unaware of what she had just said. Of course, she could have forgotten about our little agreement we made soon after we first met. That just worked to my benefit. I smirked to myself. I wonder if my Firebolt was still where I left it underneath my bed.

I dismissed myself from the table, my plate having been wiped clean for a good five minutes, and made a beeline to my room. I didn't pass anyone on my way, seeing as they were all in animated conversation downstairs and henceforth taking a longer time digesting their food. My room was one of two on the top floor, the other being Sirius's. It used to bug me, being the on the top floor, but now I welcomed the solitude it brought.

When I entered the room I had called my own for the majority of my life, I walked straight up to the bed and got on all fours to look underneath. I smiled when I saw it. I reached across the floor and grabbed the wood by the smooth handle, pulling it out gingerly. Thankfully, only a small layer of dust covered it and with a few wipes with my sleeve it was back to its former glory. I still regret putting my prized possession underneath my bed to lie there without any attention. But I know that if I kept it on its normal holster on my wall while I was gone, Sirius may be compelled to give it a spin and increase the risk of it breaking. He had even said himself: My father was the flyer and he was the one who broke things.

I had missed flying. When I accepted the assignment I knew that I would be in the Muggle world and would have no time at all to dedicate to my favorite pastime. It was ironic that the reason I couldn't fly for four months was also the reason I was pulling my Firebolt out now.

"Harry?"

I turned around. It was Hermione. Surprised at her sudden appearance, I set my broom down and tried my best to keep a calm demeanor. "Hey, Hermione."

"You disappeared during dinner."

I shrugged. "I was finished."

She nodded. "Right. Erm, well I just wanted to make sure that you were okay. I know I gave you an earful this afternoon and—"

"Hermione." I interrupted her. "There's no need to apologize. You were expressing your opinion and I can't be mad at you for that."

"I… well, thank you, I guess."

"You're the first person to yell at me about that, you know."

"I kind of figured with the way you were taking it." She said smoothly. "Like a wounded puppy with an attitude."

I chuckled at her analogy. "The past is the past, I'm afraid. I'm still Harry just…"

"More experienced." She finished.

We both laughed nervously. After a moment, I saw her bite her lip and I started to absentmindedly stroke the brush of my Firebolt. Her eyes flickered over to my stiff movements and she inclined her head.

"What's that?"

I followed her eyes and saw she was inquiring about my broomstick, and not the one girls usually ask about. "Oh. This is my Firebolt."

"It looks like a broom to me." She said hesitantly.

"Well, it _is_ a broom. A special brand of broom, the fastest one in the world, in fact." I tried to sound aloof, but I'm sure I sounded like a cocky prick. It didn't matter, though. I was proud of my Firebolt and didn't mind showing it off.

"There are different brands of brooms?"

"Yeah. In all shapes, sizes, and price ranges. It's like your car industry."

"Oh." She said, eyeing it nervously.

"Which reminds me…" I started slyly. "You remember your conversation with Arthur at dinner?"

She rolled her eyes. "How could I forget? He made me explain the function of a rubber duck."

"I mean after that."

She gave me a look. "Harry, we talked about a lot of things. What are you getting at?"

I smiled. "I was just inquiring about the cleaning solutions."

"The cleaning solutions?" She asked, crossing her arms around her chest. I adjusted my position on the bed, waiting for the explosion. "Harry, you've lived with my parents and I for four months. You've seen my mum use Ajax a hundred times."

"I was just wondering — silly, really — the explanation you gave to Arthur about who used it. What did you say again?"

Her brow furrowed. "Pardon?"

"The consumers. Who uses cleaning solutions?"

"You know very well Muggles use them. Unlike you, they don't have wands and spells to do their housework for them." She said hotly.

"I'm sorry… who?"

"Are you deaf?" She said irately. "I said Mug — oh, dear."

I grinned. "And there you have it, out of your own lips. I take it you remember our little deal, then?"

"You can't be serious!" She said in horror. "I can't possibly ride that… that _twig_!"

I stood up. "The Firebolt is _not _a twig. It is a highly sturdy and capable device currently standing at number two for Witch Weekly's Christmas Wish List."

"I don't care whose wish list it's on. I'm not riding that thing!"

"You agreed to it! 'The day I say 'Muggle' is the day I fly a broom.' Weren't those you're exact words?" I shot back.

"Well, yes, but—"

"So you said Muggle and now you have to pay the price."

She made a voice low in her throat that sounded dangerously close to a growl. I recoiled a bit at that, but pressed on. "You said it yourself. Are you going to deny your own statement?"

She sighed loudly, knowing she was fighting a lost battle. Through clenched teeth, she said a deflated "No."

I smiled brightly. "Great. Hermione Granger, I'm going to teach you how to fly."

"What, _now_?"

"No, of course not," I laughed. "It's too dark to teach a newcomer to fly. We'll start tomorrow morning after breakfast. I'll sneak us away to the place I always used to practice during my time off."

"Why sneak?" She asked suspiciously.

"You don't want the Weasleys coming along, trust me. They live off of Quidditch and flying. If they were there, the pressure on you would be overwhelming." _Plus, I want to be alone with you again._

"Oh. That's a good reason to sneak." _Very good indeed._

I nodded, stopping the internal comments in my mind. The last thing I needed right now was to let those start up again. "So after we're done eating, we'll just pretend to go up to our rooms and I'll fly us to the place, alright?"

"We're going to fly there?"

"Well, yeah. It's the fastest way to get there unless you want to side-along apparate with me and puke up the contents of your breakfast?"

"Flying is good." She said quickly.

"Fantastic."

The next morning, I strutted down to breakfast. It didn't take much to get me out of bed. The prospect of flying through the air with the wind blowing through my hair was enough to make me giddy.

Hermione was already downstairs, nibbling on a piece of toast covered in marmalade. I took a seat next to her and began to load my plate with enough food to fill me up for the morning. So, naturally, I grabbed one of everything and piled it on top of each other. What can I say? Flying makes me hungry.

"So I take it you two have made up?" Ginny asked from across me. I hadn't even noticed her there, I realized guiltily.

"Somewhat." She said. "I still think he's a slut."

I choked on the pumpkin juice I had been sipping. Ginny and Hermione both began giggling furiously as I did my best to swallow the liquid in my mouth. When I did, I glared over at Hermione who was giving me an innocent smile.

"I have a healthy sex life. That's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Right, of course." Ginny agreed. "Especially with that underage fifth year last summer."

"That was an accident!" I said in defense. "She told me she was seventeen and I believed her. Forgive me for being a trusting person."

"And the fact that she wasn't in any of your classes gave nothing away?"

"Shut up, Ginny."

She continued eating her eggs with a smug smile. Hermione continued to eat her breakfast as well, choosing not to voice her opinions for once. I sighed and went back to my food, knowing it was better to just leave it.

"Well, I'm going to head back up to my room. I have a lot of homework to start on." Hermione announced. I looked at her plate and saw that it was clean save for a few bread crumbs.

"Even Muggles get homework on break?" Ginny asked in disgust.

"Yep. Especially when you have advanced courses." Hermione said, getting up pushing her chair in.

"I hate professors. It's like they want to kill us with work overload."

"Amen to that." Ron said as he entered. He'd probably smelt the plethora of food from his room or else he wouldn't be up this early. He noticed Hermione was standing and asked, "Leaving, Hermione?"

"Homework." She explained.

"Ah. Good luck with that one, mate."

She nodded and shot me a glance before she left. I held back a smile. She wasn't a half bad liar. Well, on second thought, she wasn't really lying. I had no doubt in my mind that she was actually going to be buried in homework when I went up in a few minutes.

"She seems very tense today." Ginny said.

"Hm?" I asked.

"Hermione. She seemed tense."

"Really," I said halfheartedly. "I hadn't noticed."

She shrugged, pushing around sausages with her fork. "When I talked to her yesterday she seemed fine."

"She gets that way when she works on homework." I explained hurriedly. "It stresses her out."

"She's not alone in that aspect." Ron said, stuffing his face with eggs.

I looked down at my own plate, realizing it was now empty. I must have been eating without realizing it. Setting down my fork, I began to get up. I saw Ginny look up at me in question. "I have to get some reading done myself. Better now than never."

I left before she could respond. Ginny was always suspicious, something she gained from always asking Moody for advice at the beginning of Voldemort's rise. For some reason, she picked him as her Auror advisor. As for me, I stuck with Tonks. She was clumsy as a drunken Irishmen, but she had good battle strategies.

I arrived at Hermione's room within a minute. Sure enough when she told me to come in, she was lying face down on her bed, propped up on her elbows, and scribbling furiously in one of her notebooks. Score one for Harry.

"Ready to go?"

"No." She said, looking over at the book placed on her left and then using the eraser end of her pencil to correct her mistake.

"Hermione," I said playfully. "You can't avoid flying lessons with homework."

"Yes I can." She said in the same tone. "I need to finish this. Besides, it's freezing outside."

"So?"

She lifted her head for the first time since I entered, eyebrows arched. "So I don't want to be thirty feet up on the air on a dainty piece of wood with ten mile per hour winds blowing at my face that are below freezing."

"Okay, number one, it's not windy today." I said, sticking my pointer finger in the air. "And number two, I know you packed for cold weather. You are always overly prepared."

She rolled her eyes and slid off the bed. She was already dressed in a jumper, slacks, and sneakers. If she threw on a jacket and some gloves she would be fine. She gave me a look that showed me she knew what I was thinking and went to the set of drawers next to her bed. A moment later, she pulled out a wool jacket and a pair of matching gloves. I nodded in approval and watched her put on the articles of clothing. When she was finished, she held out her hands as if to say, _There you happy?_

Yes, Hermione, yes I am.

"We'll leave from my room, come on."

She followed me and we ascended the stairs. I was mindful to keep my steps quiet, as I suspected Sirius was still sleeping. Hermione took the hint when I put my index finger over my mouth as we neared his room. She nodded and we padded into my room on the balls of our feet. I shut the door noiselessly behind us. My Firebolt was already on my bed along with my jacket and gloves. I slipped them on swiftly and turned to Hermione with a smile. She looked as though someone had pissed in her pumpkin juice.

"Cheer up, Hermione. You'll love it."

"I doubt that." She responded with a frown.

I rolled my eyes and gripped my broom, heading to the window-door that lead out to the small balcony outside. Hermione followed reluctantly and closed the door behind her.

"Okay, I'm going to mount the broom, and I want you to get on behind me."

There was a pause before she nodded. I turned my back to her and mounted, waiting for her to climb on. I felt her a few moments later, her shoes scratching against the cement. "Now put your hands on my waist and hold on."

She hesitated again, but complied after a second's pause. I felt her arms wind around me and then her warm front press against my back. I smiled to myself before kicking off. She let out a loud scream behind me and held on for dear life, her grip constricting my breath only just. I continued at high speed toward the clearing in the woods a good half a mile east. I didn't bother with a Disillusionment charm, knowing it was too early to risk someone on the street spotting us and not blaming it on sleep. Hermione kept on letting out little squeaks when I turned to avoid birds and high chimneys throughout the two minute journey, amusing myself for the time being. Plus, whenever she breathed, I could feel _every_ aspect of her movements since her tight grip never wavered.

I started our descent when I spotted the clearing and Hermione mumbled something to herself along the lines of "We're there, it's okay, you're fine, you're not dead. It's all over now."

I chuckled deep in my chest as our feet touched the ground. Hermione disentangled her arms from around me quicker than I thought humanly possible. She collapsed onto the frost-covered ground and moved her hands around in quick circles as if to make sure she was actually on solid earth. She looked back up at me soon after with a look of pure rage upon her face.

"If you _ever_ do that to me again I will hex you into the next century."

She meant every word. Of course I, being the loveable smart-ass I am, tried to lighten up the situation with an optimistic comment. "It wasn't that bad, Hermione."

"I'm scared of heights, you prick!" She screeched.

That stopped me in my tracks. I hadn't been expecting that. "I thought you were only afraid of the broom breaking."

"No!" She said, her cheeks beginning to flush.

"Merlin, Hermione. I'm so sorry." I said getting on my knees beside her. "If I would have known, I would have taken it easier. Why didn't you tell me?"

She took a deep, shaky breath. "I — I didn't think it would matter. I thought I could hold it in. But being up so high, going so fast, sliding around and not knowing if we were going to plummet to our deaths… how do you stand it?"

"I've grown up with it. Sirius said I learned to fly before I learned to walk. It's second nature for me."

"Lucky you." She said, a bitter sting on her tongue.

"Hey," I said, putting an arm around her shoulder. "It'll be fine. We don't have to go up that high today. Just the basics, yeah? We can continue it another day if you're not comfortable going up yet."

She turned to me, her eyes filled with silent fear. It was heartbreaking. "Yeah. Yeah, okay."

I stood up and offered my hand. She took it and I pulled her up, leading us back over to the broom that was hovering a good two feet off the ground. She looked at it reproachfully and I gave her a reassuring smile. "Go on and mount it."

She nodded and I took a step back, allowing her to do it without me lurking over her shoulder. She gazed at the broom for a minute, taking in the unfamiliar object. I was about to offer some encouragement when she put a hand on the wood and squeezed so tight her hand shook. It looked like she was testing for strength — to make sure it wouldn't break. I smiled to myself.

It was another minute before she swung a leg over and placed her other hand behind the one already gripping the broom. She let out a breath and a smile began to work its way on her face. I walked back over to her and grinned.

"That was great." I said in praise. "Now, I want you to kick off gently and then when you begin to hover in the air, bend the broom forward until your feet touch the ground. Can you do that for me?"

She gave me a smile. "Yeah. I think I can."

"Good. Now push with the balls of your feet… yes, that's it…"

She began hovering in midair and let out a breath of surprise. "I'm doing it! I'm actually doing it!"

"That's great Hermione, now when you feel ready, lean forward and touch back down, okay?"

"Okay." She said. She hovered in midair and rose as far as an inch above my head before she lost focus in her eyes. I didn't think anything of it until her body began to shake.

"Hermione?"

"I — it's too high." She said, her trembling joints seeping into her voice.

"It's okay, Hermione, just lean forward and you'll come back down." I said calmly.

"It's still rising, I can't stop it!" She said in a panic.

"Even out the broom and it'll stop."

She did what I said, evening it out. By the time the broom stopped rising in height, she was ten feet above my head. I took a few steps back, trying to get a good look at her face. When it came into view, I felt my gut drop. She was as pale as the fresh snow.

"Hermione, it's okay, you're fine." I said consolingly. "Just lean the broom down and you'll be back down here in no time."

"I can't!" She said, her shaky grip beginning to shake the broom. "Ah!"

"Stay calm!" I called up to her. "I'm right here. You're fine."

"I'll slip! I'm going to fall!"

"No you're not! You're going to be just fine! Please, just lean the broom down!"

"I can't!"

"Yes you can! Come on Hermione, I know you have it in you!"

She didn't respond. For a moment I thought she had fainted. But, with hands still shaking, she proved me wrong by leaning forward and bringing the broom down. I remained silent as to not break her concentration. When she was just above my head, I moved to the side and held out my hands for her in case she tipped over. It's a good thing I did, because when the broom aligned with my upper stomach, she slid off and fell into my arms. I cradled her to me and felt her hands twist around my neck as she buried her head into my shoulder. She was still shaking.

"Shh." I said softly, removing my hands from behind her knees and allowing them to drift to the ground. She still remained attached to me. I didn't mind. I embraced her and rubbed her back in small strokes. It was a tender moment and I felt a wave of guilt hit me when I realized that it was me who made her like this. _I_ was the one who pushed her into flying, insisting she learn. Oh, how I regretted that now. She was like a terrified child who just had her first run in with the bogyman.

I lowered my head to rest on the side of hers, my lips on her ear. "I'm sorry." I whispered.

She pulled back. It shocked me to see tears rolling down her face. Although comforting her once before when she was in trauma after the Death Eater attack, this seemed much different, much worse.

"Why are you sorry?" She asked in a broken voice.

"I made you fly. It was stupid and I shouldn't have."

She shook her head. "Please don't blame yourself, Harry. I had just as big of a part as you. You were right; I told you I would fly a broomstick when I said 'Muggle.' It more my fault, really, I didn't tell you about my fear of heights."

"But I pushed it."

"And I went along with it, albeit reluctantly." She said. "It was a mutual thing, agreed?"

I smiled. "Agreed."

She returned my smile and did something I would have never expected. She kissed my cheek. I could feel her salty tears brush against my skin as she lingered there for a moment longer than necessary. When she pulled away, I fought back the urge to lean in and capture her lips before she knew what hit her. Those were _not_ the thoughts I was supposed to be letting into my head. She was my friend. And, more importantly, she was extremely fragile at this particular moment. She unwound her hands from my neck and I repeated those thoughts in my head. Friend, fragile, friend, fragile, friend, fragile…

But all that went to hell when our eyes locked. They weren't teary anymore, but the remnants of them were still smeared on her cheeks. I removed one hand from its grip on her waist and began to wipe the wet residue from her skin. It was a reflex more than anything — a new reflex, but one nonetheless. Her eyes went out of focus as I rubbed my thumb against her skin. When it was dry, I felt another rush of overwhelming desire to kiss her. It took all I had not to. But then her gaze flickered to my lips and I lost it. I began to lean down and I saw her eyes widen in surprise, but she didn't pull away. Our lips barely brushed and I felt a pang of _something _in my chest, but before it could accelerate into something more and I could act on this new feeling, an owl hooted behind us. We jumped apart as if shocked by a lightning bolt.

"We should, ah, get back before they come looking for us." I said in a cracked voice.

"Yeah — yeah that… yeah."

I mounted my broom and she got on behind me. Although close proximity did nothing but make this worse, it was still the only way to get back. She held onto me tight as I kicked off, mindful to take the trip back slower. Her head was resting on my back and I could hear her trying to keep her breath steady. The trip back was silent. No screams, no laughter, just silence.

When we got back to the balcony, I let her get off first again, the warmth of her body slipping away from mine. When I dismounted after, I turned to see her brushing white flakes off of her jacket. It was only then I realized it had begun to snow. I looked off into the distance and saw the light grey snow clouds covering the sky. I opened the door to let us inside before it got heavier. I loved snow as much as the next guy, but neither Hermione nor I wanted to spend another minute outdoors. Shutting the window-door behind us, I saw Hermione looking at me with an unreadable expression.

"Thank you for trying." She said meekly.

"It's no problem. Maybe one day we can go again."

She nodded. "Maybe."

I took a step toward her, going out on a limb. "Listen, Hermione, about what happened—"

"_There_ you are." A shrill voice interrupted from the doorway. There stood Molly in all of her late morning glory. "I've been looking for you two for the past ten minutes! Where have you been?"

"We went outside." I said, not wanting to lie to my surrogate mother. "I took Hermione out on my broom."

"In this weather? You're not properly dressed at all! You need a scarf, some boots and _why_ aren't you wearing earmuffs?"

"Sorry Molly." Hermione apologized. "We didn't know it was going to snow."

"Well come downstairs after changing. I have a fire started. You both have noses as pink as a blushing schoolgirl. Don't want you getting sick."

"Of course. We'll be right down." I assured her.

She nodded and left. I turned to Hermione and saw her smiling. "Is she always like that?" she asked.

"It's her job to be a mother to everyone." I explained. "She has a huge family, so she doesn't know anything else. It can be a bit overbearing, but she only means best."

"Yesterday she asked what size sweater I wore." She said. "Is that something she asks everyone as well?"

"Pretty much. It's for your… you know what, I'll let it be a surprise."

"Fair enough."

There was a long silence. I, having lost my courage to bring up what had nearly transpired a few minutes ago, went to stripping my jacket and gloves off of me. It was very chilly in my room and I instantly missed their warmth. I had to remind Sirius to set up heating charms around this place.

"I'll see you downstairs, then?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah." I said, not looking at her.

I heard her footsteps lead out the door and into the hallway. I kept my ears trained to them until they disappeared down the stairs and onto the level below. I sighed to myself and banged my head against the wall closest to me. Whatever compelled me to almost kiss Hermione in the clearing was something very dangerous. Also, it was very likely connected to the reason that I had taken Hermione's harsh words to heart yesterday. I knew that I cared for her, that much was certain. But this was something more than that, something past attraction and friendship. And it was scaring me.

I tried to remove my thoughts from the headache that was threatening to appear and pulled a sweater on over my shirt, layering up. My pants hadn't gotten wet at all and I rarely wore shoes inside, so that was all I had to do before I went downstairs.

When I arrived, Ron and Ginny were there on the sofa, conversing over mugs of steaming liquid. I walked over to them and they both greeted me with sly smiles. I took a seat on the vacant loveseat and welcomed the plush depths that enveloped me.

"Mum told me to give you this." Ron said, handing me a mug that was on the end table beside him. I took it and sipped it greedily. The delicious sweetness of hot chocolate filled my mouth and I moaned. Nothing beat Molly's hot chocolate on a cold day.

"She also told us that she found you and Hermione in your room… _alone_." Ginny said suggestively.

"I took her out for some flying lessons." I said honestly.

"Flying lessons… _alone_."

"Shove it, Ginny."

"Oh, touchy." She said over her mug, taking another sip.

"Aren't you and Hermione, like, together by now?" Ron asked.

I felt something heat up in my lower stomach at the mention of Hermione and I together. It was quickly squished, though, by the hard anvil of reality. "No. We're just friends."

"Seriously?" Ron asked. "_Why_?"

"Yeah." Ginny agreed. "You guys have been radiating sexual tension since you got here."

"You should have seen their grand entrance." Ron said with a laugh. "Harry was practically—"

"We're not together." I said solidly.

"But you fancy her." Ginny said smartly.

"I dunno, maybe." I said. "Whatever it is though, it can't happen."

"Why the bloody hell not?" Ron asked. "You both are already engaged. You're halfway there."

"That may be so, but that doesn't mean we're going to end up together." I said.

"Harry." Ginny said softly, drawing my attention to her. "We've been your friends since we were in diapers. We know you better than you know yourself more times than not. And I'm saying that there's something about Hermione that's changing you."

"Changing me?" I asked in confusion.

"She's like your better half. She ripped your head off about your promiscuous adventures and you took it to heart. She made you speechless. Not to mention that you light up whenever you see her."

I sighed, knowing all these to be true. "Whatever feelings I have for Hermione don't matter. I'm here to protect her and nothing else. Besides," I added bitterly, "she has a boyfriend."

"Bummer." Ron said heavily. "I bet he's a prick."

I laughed at the irony. "You have no idea."

Silence enveloped the three of us. It was broken, probably by fate itself, with Hermione's cheerful voice. "Hello."

My outward demeanor stayed the same, but inside I was beaming. I bet Ginny could tell, especially when Hermione sat down next to me on the loveseat. She was practically dancing. She handed Hermione her mug of hot chocolate with a wink and I leaned back into the cushions.

Hermione Granger, you are driving me bloody insane.

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the awesome reviews and to my beta, Vincent! You guys all rock my world. Siriusly :)**

**-Shar**


	15. Winter Song

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Winter Song**

"_This is my winter song to you.  
The storm is coming soon,  
it rolls in from the sea_"  
- Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson (Winter Song)

My voice; a beacon in the night.  
My words will be your light,  
to carry you to me.

Is love alive?  
Is love alive?  
Is love

They say that things just cannot grow  
beneath the winter snow,  
or so I have been told.

They say were buried far,  
just like a distant star  
I simply cannot hold.

Is love alive?  
Is love alive?  
Is love alive?

Why does life always throw you curveballs that you could never anticipate?

When I was seven, my aunt got me a stack of freshly purchased books for my birthday — that was a happy surprise. A year later my grandfather died. That wasn't nearly as cheerful or cause for any internal celebration. In these past four months alone, I've found out I'm a witch and became the girlfriend of Drake Malloy, the guy I've been pining over for little under a year. Those, more than anything, were cause for a shock as strong as lightning. After experiencing two life changing events like that I thought that any other surprise life threw at me I would be fully prepared for. I was wrong.

The mumbles of voices as I came down the steps were of little concern to me as I adjusted the large sweater I had changed into atop my right shoulder. I was only inches from the door when the sound of my name stopped me in my tracks — the only word my ears, as well as everyone else's in the world, were specially tuned to.

"We know you better than you know yourself more times than not. And I'm saying that there's something about Hermione that's changing you."

The voice belonged to Ginny. Her matter-of-fact tone and girlish attributes when she pronounced the words gave her away.

"Changing me?" Harry's voice perked up. Of course he would be down here and changed already.

"She's like your better half. She ripped your head off about your promiscuous adventures and you took it to heart. She made you speechless. Not to mention that you light up whenever you see her."

I blushed at that. Did he really light up whenever I entered a room? That seemed like something only books talked about.

"Whatever feelings I have for Hermione don't matter. I'm here to protect her and nothing else."

_What?_ The internal voice inside me yelled. I then felt a heavy, yet somewhat pleasant, jump in my lower stomach. I unconsciously put a hand over it and looked down. I knew that feeling.

"Besides," He added with a noticeably clipped tone. "She has a boyfriend."

_That's right!_ The voice perked up. _Drake. _Oh, Gods. I haven't even thought about him in the past day. The jumping in my stomach was quickly replaced by a sickly feeling.

"Bummer." Ron piped up, alerting me that he was part of the conversation as well. "I bet he's a prick."

Harry laughed dryly. "You have no idea."

I scoffed. The _nerve_ of him was enough to make me want to sprint over and punch him. Only Harry could make my feelings roller coaster like this; make me go from happy to enraged in the span of a few seconds. _Well_, I concluded, _I had better reveal myself sooner rather than later before he says something else that will_ _send me closer over the edge._

I took the first few steps cautiously, testing the ground ahead of me. The three of them seemed off in their own little world and I let out a breath. Maybe they wouldn't think I had been listening.

"Hello." I said as cheerily as I could manage. No one jerked in surprise, which I found rather odd seeing as I just interrupted dead silence. Then I reminded myself that these three had lived in the Wizarding World their whole lives and had been dealing with the return of Voldemort for a few years. Nothing should startle them.

The only seat available was next to Harry on the loveseat and I sat down slowly. Ginny handed me a steaming mug filled with the rich scent of coco with a wink. I found this rather odd, but passed it off as nothing. Ginny was just odd in general, so why should this action tell me otherwise?

We all stayed in silence for a while. It was Ron who dared to be the first to speak. "So… Harry tells me you have a boyfriend?"

I heard Harry groan from beside me. I felt heat rise up in my cheeks. Ron was one of those people who spoke before they thought and it always lead to the displeasure of at least one other person in the room. It was the second time he had said something that didn't please Harry. First, with his colorful past, and now with his inquiry about Drake. I figured I could just tell him and save us from anything too awkward. Besides, it wasn't as if I was hiding anything.

"Yeah. His name is Drake Malloy."

Ron's brow furrowed. "Drake Malloy?"

I head Harry mutter something under his breath but I was too focused on Ron to pay it any mind. I nodded and the lines in the redhead's forehead deepened.

"That sure sounds familiar." Ginny said softly, looking directly at Harry. I followed her gaze just in time to see Harry bury his head into the palms of his hands.

"Yeah." Ron agreed.

"Well I can't say that you know him." I said, tearing my eyes away from Harry. "He's a Muggle."

"Hm." Ginny said noncommittally. Her face was contorted to one of deep thought. Looking over at Ron, I saw he was sporting a similar look, but his made him look more like he was constipated than in a reverie of any kind.

"How long have the two of you been, erm, together?" Ron asked, saving me the embarrassment of giggling at his face by relaxing his features and focusing his attention back toward me.

"Almost two months." I replied. "But I've known him since he transferred last January."

Ginny's head snapped over to me. "Last _January_?"

"Uh, yes?" I said with a hint of question at the end.

"And where did Drake transfer from?" She asked slowly.

"Some boarding school in Scotland," I replied. "He didn't tell me a name, though — said it wasn't worth talking about."

Her head went back over to Harry, whose face had gone white. "Harry! Why didn't you _tell_ us?"

"Tell us what?" Ron asked.

"I wasn't supposed to tell anyone about the mission for confidentiality reasons, you know that." Harry said coolly.

"You could have at least mentioned this part!" Ginny said in a harsh voice.

"_What _part?" Ron's voice was getting more anger-ridden with every syllable.

"No, I couldn't have, Ginny."

"If this is because of your stupid pride—"

"It isn't stupid; I know I can handle this on my own!"

"Then how come she doesn't know?" Ginny screeched.

Harry was silent after that. I couldn't tell if it was because he was speechless (something I doubted, seeing as Ginny told me I was the only one capable of rendering him so) or didn't have a proper response. My eyes flickered between the two of them. If they were arguing about what I think they're arguing about…

"Doesn't. Know. What." Ron said heatedly. His aggravation of not being tuned into the conversation finally shone through his voice.

Ginny turned her neck to her brother, her eyes flickering to me for only a moment before speaking. I knew what she was going to say as soon as her mouth opened. "Hermione's dating Draco Malfoy."

"_**WHAT?**_"

"My reaction exactly." Harry said with a cool amusement.

"Shut up, you." Ginny said without looking back at him.

All eyes then shifted to me. I wish I could humor them with a response, but I was speechless. Draco Malfoy. That was the name Harry had called Drake when he first saw him. I had heard Harry say it numerous times but the name being emitted by Ginny was surreal. I had thought for sure that Harry had been making up this alter ego of Drake's. I mean, who had a name like Draco Malfoy anyway?

The silence was deafening. They were all waiting for me to say something, Harry especially. I dared a look at him and saw his face was grim. I had expected him to have an "I told you so" smirk or knowing glint in his eye at least. But no, he was looking at me as if he was sorry. It took me a moment to realize what for. He was sorry I had to find out this way. He wanted me to find out on my own, knowing that I could now protect myself if anything went wrong. It was like Ginny said — his pride was getting the better of him.

A sigh emitted from Ginny's mouth and let me see she knew I wasn't going to speak for at least a few more minutes. Instead of waiting, she initiated the conversation once more. "You could have easily shown her a picture or a memory in a pensieve before she agreed to go out with him."

"I know." Harry replied smoothly.

She gave him a look. "Well then why didn't you?"

He shrugged. "I figured he would mess up on his own."

"She could be in love with him by now!" Ginny said heatedly.

"She's not." Harry said, looking over at me.

Ginny followed his gaze. I averted my eyes from the two of them. "How do you know that?"

"I just do."

He sounded so certain, so sure of himself. It made me want to slap him. But, in his defense, he was right. Sure, I liked Drake — _Draco_ — a lot, but that doesn't mean that I'm _in love_ with him. Not that I even knew what love feels like in the first place. Besides, if I were to fall in love with another that would mean Harry and I's bond would be transferred. I'm sure I would have noticed if a magical bond transference were to take place.

The question came tumbling out of my mouth quicker than I could stop them. "Who is he?"

"Who, Malfoy?" Ginny asked.

I nodded.

She shifted her eyes over at Harry, but he didn't look like he would be speaking up anytime soon. With a single sigh, she began to speak. "He goes — went to school with us at Hogwarts. His father is one of Voldemort's followers and he's been in the line to be one since birth. He comes from a long line of Pureblood Slytherin assholes who think they're Gods because they're fans of inbreeding." She scoffed. "Last January after winter holidays, he mysteriously disappeared from classes. There were a lot of different reasons people came up with but—"

"Dumbledore said he had a very bad case of the Wizard Flu." Harry interrupted. I jerked my head over to him. His worn features had been replaced with colored cheeks and narrowed eyes. "But we all knew he had quit Hogwarts and was finally following in his father's footsteps."

"He was trying to make you fall in love with him, wasn't he?" Ginny asked.

"I guess so." I said quietly. "But that still doesn't — I mean, Drake can't be…"

"He always has been, Hermione. I just didn't prove it to you quickly enough." Harry said.

"I have proof." Ron said. We all turned to look at him. He had been relatively quiet throughout this whole ordeal so his words were like a cool breeze. "If you want it, that is."

I nodded before I could stop myself. My gut knew what they are saying is true, but I have spent so much time denying it, seeing proof could only make it better — lessen the blow. When Ron got up, I began to shiver in what I assumed to be anticipation.

"_Was_ it because of your pride?" I asked Harry.

He shifted in his seat. "Partly." I heard Ginny mumble something that sounded like "Knew it." under her breath, but Harry pressed on. "But I also wanted to see him mess up."

"Harry!" I scolded.

"It's not like _that_." He said in defense. I arched an eyebrow. "Okay maybe a little. But it was mostly because I wanted to see if he was going to be as big of a fuck up as his dad is when it comes to Death Eater business."

This was news to me. "So you were risking my safety so you could prove that he would suck at his mission?"

"I didn't prove anything." He said in a defeated tone. "He was doing his job perfectly."

"Then why didn't you stop him?" I asked, getting increasingly angry.

"Because I didn't want to hurt you!" He said quickly.

My eyes locked with his and I saw them shining with an unfamiliar gleam. Before I could say anything in response, he threw himself off of the loveseat and made a beeline for the stairs. I watched him leave with a frown etched upon my face.

"Wow." Ginny breathed.

I looked over at her. "What?"

She blinked rapidly and shook her head before turning to me. "Nothing. Oh, hello Ron."

I turned and saw Ron taking up his former seat with a picture clutched in his right hand. My stomach lurched in my throat. He twirled the photo in his hands for a moment before speaking. "Colin Creevey gave me this photo right before winter holidays last year. It was taken when he was putting together a scrapbook for his parents as a thank-you gift for letting him come to Hogwarts. He didn't want a picture of Malfoy in there so I took it off his hands hoping it was something embarrassing. Turns out it was just a candid, but I couldn't find Colin to return it and he put an anti-destruction charm on it so I just stuffed it at the bottom of my trunk. I forgot it was down there until now."

When he was finished, he held out the photo to me and I took it gingerly. A part of me still didn't want to see it but an even bigger part knew it was the right thing to do. I needed proof so my mind could process what was finally becoming clear. I flipped it over and my breath caught.

At first, I didn't recognize him at all. He was sneering, his hair was longer, and instead of his normal jeans and t-shirt, he was wearing a gray wool pullover and striped tie with a crest stitched into it. But, underneath all those things, he was still Drake Malloy. No, he was Draco Malfoy.

"Is it him?" Ginny asked softly.

"Yes." I responded in a similar manner.

"I'm sorry, Hermione." She said with honest sympathy.

"It's — it's okay." I stammered, feeling the reaction that had been suppressed inside my psyche begin to break through.

"You sure?"

I looked over at her. "Yeah. But I think I'm going to head up to my room for a bit."

I made a move to return the picture, but Ron held up a hand in protest. "You keep it. I don't want to hold onto that thing another day."

I resisted the urge to throw it at his face anyway, but managed a nod. I turned to leave and heard Ginny call out a goodbye just as I reached the doorway. I increased my speed and jogged up the stairs, the picture clutched tightly in my hand. I could feel the tears well up in my eyes as I arrived at the second floor. I switched gears to a sprint to reach my room just in time for the first tear to fall.

The door clicked shut behind me as I went over to my bed and laid face-down into its warm depths. At first, the tears that fell were of grief, as most tears start out. Then, they quickly turned to ones of anger. Anger at myself for being so ignorant when it came to the truth, anger at Harry for doing all the wrong things to help only himself, but most of all, anger at Draco for pulling this stunt. And to think — if Harry hadn't come along, I would have actually stood a chance at falling in love with him. But Harry _did_ come along, and with him there, Draco never stood a chance. But I'll think about that later.

My crying subdued when half my water weight leaked out of my eye sockets. Only then did I let the exhaustion of the day pull me into unconsciousness.

"WAKE UP, HERMIONE! IT'S CHRISTMAS!"

I groaned into my pillow and mentally cursed Ginny for being a morning person. It had been a week since I had found out the truth about Draco. In that time, Harry and I only spoke when necessary, ergo at meals and when Ron and Ginny forced the two of us to go out with them. It wasn't as if we were mad at each other, which would be juvenile. No, it was because now that the recent dirty laundry had been aired, we had no idea _how_ to act around each other.

Slipping out of bed, I sleepily padded to my door and opened it to see Ginny grinning manically on the other side. I gave her a look through hooded eyes. "What time is it?"

"Five-thirty sharp." She replied brightly.

I didn't repress a groan. "Seriously?"

"Oh come _on_. The quicker you get out of bed, the quicker you get your presents." She then proceeded to take my hand and drag me out of the confines of my room. I didn't have the energy to stop her, so I simply followed. The trip down the stairs was what ultimately woke me up. I almost toppled on top of Ginny on the second step down and that moment of free falling was the burst of adrenaline I needed to open my eyes wide and brace myself against the railing.

We reached the living room with my hand still grasped in Ginny's. The Christmas tree in the corner was covered with a beautiful layer of tinsel, twinkling lights, and a few magical ornaments that changed both color and shape every few minutes. A pile of presents up to my hips was stuffed underneath and around the fresh pine, completing the picture. It was like something you would see on a cheesy Christmas card from your distant relatives that you never really talk to.

Ginny let go of my hand at once and skipped over to the right side of the tree, where she had two stacks of presents waiting. "I already sorted out mine and yours when I got up."

"When did _you_ get up?"

"Four." She said. "I can't sleep when I know there's a whole stack of gifts waiting for me downstairs."

I rolled my eyes. "Is there at least food out to wake me up?"

She shook her head. "We eat after we open gifts."

I sighed. "Where is everyone else, then?"

"Oh, I sent Mum to wake them all up." She said with a wave of her hand.

As if on cue, a voice louder than anything I had ever heard wailed from upstairs. "_YOU GET YOUR BUTT DOWNSTAIRS RONALD WEASLEY OR I SWEAR I WILL BURN YOUR BUM WITH THE HEAT OF MY WAND!_"

Ginny snorted. "It only takes her trying to get Ron up to wake the whole house."

I chuckled. With the promise of the others arriving soon, I looked down to my pile of presents to see it stacked full of more than I was anticipating. They were all wrapped in an assortment of ways, each with a specific touch. Just the sight of them alone was enough to make me excited. I could see now why Ginny was so uppity when she woke me up.

Molly was the first to enter the room, a satisfied smile on her face. After her was Ron looking as if he just had a tussle with a lion; his hair and clothes in disarray. Harry soon followed looking much the same, his glasses being the only thing properly proportioned. The rest of the house filed in after them, each sporting tired looks similar to mine, the only exception being Tonks, who was wearing a wide grin.

Harry and Ron began sorting through the presents, handing everyone their designated gift. They were done in two minutes and soon after they took seats next to Ginny and I, everyone began tearing through their wrappings like it was a contest to see who could finish first. I grabbed a random present off the top of my pile and joined in. The tag said it was from Molly and Arthur. I tore it open hastily and saw the smooth fabric of clothing waiting to be worn. Unfolding the garment, I discovered it was a sweater, hand-knit by the looks of it. I ran my hand over the soft fabric and looked over at Molly, who was giving me a smile. I returned the gesture and turned it around. Against the deep purple body was a large "H" stitched in with light gray. I hurriedly put it on over my pajamas and reveled in its warmth. This must have been what Molly had wanted my measurements for it fit perfectly.

The next present was one from my parents who had sent it over with Harry. It was the complete works of Jane Austen encased in a beautiful black velvet box. I made a mental note to give them both a very long hug when I saw them tonight at dinner.

Ron and Ginny each got me a gift to my surprise. From Ron, a bag of sweets I had never heard of that I was very eager to try before my parents discovered them; from Ginny, a silver bracelet with a single charm on it in the shape of a star that changed colors whenever you pressed the tip of your finger to its back. I thanked them both enthusiastically and told them to open my presents before I moved on.

Ginny smiled widely when she saw the assortment of chocolates. "Muggle chocolate? Oh, thank you so much, Hermione! I've wanted to try these for ages."

"You're welcome."

Ron opened his gift and furrowed his brow. I had also bought him candy, but it wasn't one so easily as distinguishable. He held up the package and examined it carefully before turning to me. "What are these? Licorice wands?"

I shrugged. "I can't say. I've never tried those. I picked these up in the imported foods section of the candy shop, though. They're made in the States and are quite good, if you ask me."

He turned the package over and read the label. "Red Vines?"

"They're delicious, I promise." I said sincerely.

He quickly opened the package and took out one of the red strings of candy. He bit off a bit of one end and his face lit up. "These are like the best things I've ever tasted!"

"I'm glad you like them." I said with a smile.

He quickly finished the piece and I turned back to my gifts. One in particular stood out to me, the metallic blue of the wrappings shining through the rest. It was thin and wrapped with a white silk bow. I reached for it and turned the package over to see who it was from. It came as no surprise at all when I saw _from: Harry_ engraved in ink on the back. I smiled to myself and carefully unwrapped it. When I tossed the paper to the side, I raised a hand to cover my gaping mouth.

It was the picture Harry found the night we went into the attic.

Except it wasn't just the photo anymore; he had framed it in ornate silver and had our names engraved in cursive writing on the top and bottom. _Hermione Jane Granger, Harry James Potter_. It was beautiful. I looked over to Harry to see his eyes already on me. He was smiling.

"Thank you." I said softly.

"You're welcome." He responded. "Look on the back."

I turned the frame over and saw a slip of paper with Harry's neat handwriting. _This ticket is good for one book from Flourish & Blott's courtesy of Harry Potter._ I let out a breath of laughter. He really didn't forget his promises. I turned back over to Harry to thank him once more and saw him looking down with an expression of wonder. He brought up the mystery object he was so enamored with and I was surprised to see my drawing in his hands. Indeed, it was my present to him, framed and signed, but I didn't think it would be _that_ impressive. He looked at me and jerked his head towards the doorway. I took his invitation and excused myself.

We met in the entrance hall just outside the living room. When I turned around to face him, he immediately pulled me into his arms. My body didn't respond at first, seeing as we hadn't been on speaking terms the past few days, but instinct took over and I wrapped my arms around him, returning his embrace. He pulled away after a moment and leaned in swiftly, placing his lips on my cheek for a brief kiss. I blushed and we disengaged from each other.

"I just wanted to… thank you properly, I guess." He said nervously.

"Gratitude accepted." I said with a shy smile. "Thank you again for the beautiful gift."

I leaned my back against the wall as he answered. "Thank _you_ for the drawing. It was way more than I deserved."

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "It was nothing. Just some sketch you asked me to do…"

"It came from your heart." He replied in a voice that warmed my senses. "And no one deserves a piece of that. It's too precious to give away."

"_Harry_…" I said, the back of my nose prickling with new forming tears.

He shook his head. "Draco is a snake. The fact that you were willingly giving into him killed me, even if I knew it was my own decision to keep it going. I just want to apologize for that — for letting you associate with that. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me."

"I could never hate you." I said quietly. "I could never hate someone who has a place in my heart, whether they feel they deserve it or not."

His eyes darkened as he placed one hand against the wall, right next to my face. "Hermione." He whispered.

"Harry..." I whispered back.

"Hermione!" A shrill voice called from the other room. Harry flinched. "Your parents are here!"

"My parents?" I asked softly to myself. "They're not supposed to be here until dinner."

Harry removed his hand from the wall and backed away a few steps. I missed him being so close to me as soon as he pulled away. "You'd better go greet them, then."

"Harry—"

"Go on." He said with a smile. "You're mum's probably going spare."

I nodded. "Right. You coming?"

He shook his head. "Nah. I think I'll help Molly with breakfast."

"Alright." I said, turning to leave.

"Hermione." Harry said, stopping me in my tracks.

"Yes?"

"Erm… don't let your mum suffocate you."

"I'll try not to." I said with a laugh.

We both headed off in different directions and as soon as I reentered the living room, my mum launched herself into my arms. I hugged her back as best I could and rested my head on her shoulder, her hair brushing against my cheek. I opened my eyes to see my dad looking at the two of us appreciatively and just before I pulled away from my mother's embrace, I caught a wisp of black hair walking in the opposite direction. I didn't realize my heart had been pounding hard against my chest in the entrance hall until now, because when it started up again after seeing a glimpse of Harry, it was almost habitual.

It's amazing how quickly things can change. I thought Draco was the one for me, but it turns out I had been overlooking what was right in front of me. And after we returned home, I was going to tell Draco exactly that. _Harry Potter has always had a place in my heart, _I'll say,_ but you never will._

**A/N: Sorry for the wait for an update! My weekends have been hell and it's quite a task to find the time to update now. I hope you enjoyed this installment, though :) Thanks so much to my beta, Vincent, and to all of you lovely people who keep on reading and reviewing! You all freaking rock.**

**-Shar**


	16. I See You

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**I See You**

"_I'm standing across from you  
And dreaming of the things I do  
I don't speak, you don't know me at all_"  
- Mika (I See You)

For fear of what you might do  
I say nothing but stare at you  
And I'm dreaming  
I'm trippin' over you

Truth be told  
My problems solved  
You mean the world to be but you'll never know  
You could be cruel to me  
While we're risking the way that I see you  
That I see you  
That I see

Conversations  
Not me at all  
I'm hesitating  
Only to fall  
And I'm waiting, I'm hating everyone

Could it be you fell for me?  
And any possible similarity  
If it's all, how would I know?  
You never knew me at all but I see you  
But I see you

It took us an hour to say our goodbyes. We left the first of January, just after I caught a few hours sleep preceding the New Year's party Molly insisted on throwing. It was a night filled with Fred and George's infamous fireworks, animate conversation, and enough firewhisky to drown a small army. Of course, Molly wouldn't let us near the stuff, but Ron and I managed to sneak a few shots.

Hermione had taken well to the Weasleys, something I am very relieved by. I don't think I could have handled it if they had all been at each other's necks. Fate must have been on my side. But, then again, it also had a way of biting me in the arse whenever something good happened. In order for Hermione to get along with my adoptive family, the balance had to be restored by making something bad happen. Of course, I still hadn't sorted out if this bad thing was actually _bad_, per se, but it felt like it.

Hermione had gotten to me. She had weaseled her way first into my thoughts, then my subconscious, then, most importantly, my heart. There wasn't a moment I wasn't thinking of her; how she was, if she was okay, where she was, etcetera. It was exhausting, but at the same time, filled me with something that hadn't been there before. Prior to meeting Hermione, I had never had cause to feel like this in any way. She had opened my eyes to a part of me that I hadn't known existed. I could not name it for the life of me but it was still there.

Instead of pondering over this newfound set of feelings, I just let them guide me. At first, I didn't think much of it. They hadn't led me wrong yet, right? Well, that was until Christmas when I felt the need to pull her into the other room just for a simple hug. But that's not the only thing I wanted. With her leaning against the wall and my arm balancing me above her, I was a second away from leaning in and capturing her unsuspecting lips with my own. There was nothing holding me back from doing just that, but then she was called away. I had half a mind to tell her to ignore her parent's early arrival and stay with me, a thought I immediately discarded. I couldn't hold her back from her blood relatives. I would never forgive myself.

The week preceding Christmas was one that took much more strength than I realized I needed to use. Mental stability was hard to keep up, especially when my thoughts were always on the brink of drifting. And it only got worse when I was near her. Just her presence was enough to send me into a tailspin. Oh, if only she knew the effect she was having on me. To think that five months ago I hadn't even known she existed was a marvel to me. But it also provided me with a reproachful mindset to this change in demeanor. Hermione was still practically a stranger compared to others I called my friends. How is it she managed to make me feel like this towards her in a matter of months?

Then I knew. Our history together was longer than I remembered sometimes. Although we had not been fully aware, we had been close as infants, and that time could very well have an influence on our behavior towards each other whether subconsciously or not. And that train of thought led to the idea that maybe our bond had something to do with it. I spent a good day in the library researching the history of engagement and marriage bonds and came up with nothing but what I already knew about them. They were used for magical purposes that had nothing to do with the mind and only when the relationship was broken or consummated could the bond be severed. It was silly to think the bond we had to each other was influencing my mind. It was worth looking into, though it served no real results.

When we arrived back at the Granger's estate, we were both greeted with open arms. Jane embraced her daughter tightly and did the same to me. Edward stood and smiled before doing the same to his daughter and giving me a warm pat on the back. We both excused ourselves upstairs to unpack soon after the exchanges. I was in the middle of putting away my trousers when a thought occurred to me: I still didn't know Hermione's plan for Malfoy. She had said she would take care of him but did not specify what that meant. She may not have given it any thought either, which wouldn't do at all.

I dropped what I was doing and walked to her room. Her door was shut and I knocked lightly. I heard her soft voice call from within, "Come in."

I twisted the knob and let myself inside. The contents of her bag had been laid out on her bed in neat piles, all of which were perfectly parted and folded. I let a small smile work its way onto my face.

She turned and looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Harry?"

I met her eyes. "I was wondering if I might have a word."

She hesitated before nodding stiffly. I wasn't sure if she could sense my concerned mindset or not, but in case she didn't catch on right away, I waved my wand hand and willed the door shut. I didn't want her parents overhearing something that had the potential to hurt their daughter. I then mumbled a simple sound amplifying charm for the hallway. That way, if they came to check on us, I would be alerted and would have time to take the proper measures to keep them as uninformed as possible for the time being.

"I'm guessing this isn't just a small chat." She said.

I shook my head. "Afraid not."

She sighed and set down the shirt she had been holding. Motioning to the chair over by the window, she took up a seat on the one clear patch of her bed. I padded over to the familiar seat and turned it to face her. She looked nervous.

"Is this about Draco?" She asked quietly.

She was more observant that I thought. "Yes. I wanted to know what your plan was with him."

"Why?" She asked. "He's my problem now. I have to be the one to solve it."

"You never have to do anything alone." I told her. "I just want to make sure that whatever you're planning is safe."

"The things I plan to do to him have many synonyms, but none are too pleasant."

I chucked. "I don't blame you. I'm just taking precautions. Remember, he has a lifetime's worth of magical experience and you're still learning."

"I know." She said with a resigned tone. "There are so many things I want to do to him, but I know none of them will end well. I made a promise to myself to resolve things the Muggle way. At least if I do that he won't be as suspicious, where as if I had a foot-long axe held behind my back he may be tipped off and apparate away."

"That would be a sight." I said with a laugh. "So you're planning on just talking to him about it?"

"Partly," She said, her voice changing to one much more mischievous than I was used to hearing. "I'm not just book smart. I can get people to tell me things. When I was eight, I coerced Maddie Benson into telling me she was the one who had put rotten cheese into my cubby using just my brain."

"Impressive." I said lightly. "But this isn't about rotten cheese. This is about someone trying to lure you into breaking our bond for a very powerful wizard."

"I'm not eight anymore, either." She said with a sly smile.

I smiled back at her. "Touché."

"So you think it's a good idea?"

"I think it's worth a shot. Draco wouldn't expect a mental attack, especially if he still thinks he has you under his spell, no pun intended."

She nodded, looking down at her hands which were intertwined atop her lap. "I know I can do it. I just need some time to gather what I'm going to say."

"Understandable. Although I think I already know the answer, I'm going to ask as a precaution: Do you want any backup?"

"No." She said curtly. "This is something I have to do by myself. If Voldemort wanted to kill me, he would have done so already, so I won't be in too much danger."

"Think about the Death Eater attack a few weeks back." I replied. "He was taking you somewhere. Draco may try that once he finds out that you're onto him."

"I'll have him knocked out by then." She said noncommittally.

"You sure?" I asked. "I hate to admit it, but he's improved in battle strategy since I've last seen him. He may already be one step ahead."

"I'll be fine." She said. "This could be the perfect test to see if I really can handle myself with a wand at my disposal. If it doesn't work out, I can send a signal to you or something."

"You mean like a tracking spell?"

"Something like that." She agreed. "I know you won't let me go completely unguarded, so why don't you use a tracking spell on me so you know if I'm in danger or not?"

"I can try." I admitted. "But it's still risky."

"You've taken plenty of risks yourself." She countered, using what she knew of my coma last year against me. "Now it's my turn to use the strengths I possess to get something done."

She had a point. But it was a plan with many flaws. What if she lost her will to speak out of nerves? What if Draco disarmed her before she got the chance to knock him out? Would she even remember the spell? All these questions and many more were flowing in and out of my mind along with the images of an unconscious Hermione thrown over Malfoy's shoulder and being apparated to an unknown Death Eater rendezvous point. On the other hand, she had the capability to perform this mission and come back unscathed, but not the experience to make it a definite. It was too much too risky.

The words were out of my mouth before I could take them back. "Okay."

A wide grin spread across her face. My stomach dropped to the floor. "Great! I'll do it tomorrow night, then. Before I leave, you can put the spell on me and I'll be off to kick the lying prick's hindquarters into next year."

I smiled weakly. "Sounds like a plan."

"I'll meet you tomorrow night around seven in your loft, then?"

"Sure."

"Great. I'll call Drake — I mean, Draco — now to set the date." I nodded and turned to leave. Her voice speaking up again stopped me in my tracks. "Oh, and Harry?"

"Yes?" I asked, turning back around to look at her.

"Thank you for letting me do this."

"No problem."

She smiled and I spun around once more to exit. I kept my ears alert in case she had something else to add. She remained silent and I walked down the hall to my room. My head felt like it was going to explode and don't even get me started on the constrictions in my chest. Why had I agreed to that? Old me would _never_ have agreed to let her go out on her own. She had only been practicing magic for _five months_ for Merlin's sake! It was practically a suicide mission!

But the look of elated joy on her face…

No.

I couldn't let her do this on her own. Unfortunately, I didn't have the heart to go back into her room and call the whole thing off. Plus, it wasn't a half bad idea to begin with. To get rid of Draco Malfoy for good was a marvelous prospect indeed. But I had to do something in order to ensure she would not be harmed. The tracking spell would provide some amount of safety, yes, but not enough to ease my fears. I thought back on my offer to go with her. She had turned it down immediately, of course, but that didn't mean it wasn't a good idea to go against her wishes. It would be for her own good. She meant too much to me to be at risk for a kidnapping. I could easily throw on my invisibility cloak and follow them to wherever Hermione chose to hold their "date."

It was settled. Tomorrow night I would be at hand when Hermione kicked Draco Malfoy to the curb. The idea was enough to fill me with capricious excitement.

Dark began to settle onto the twilight horizon. In less than five minutes, Hermione would arrive up here before Malfoy picked her up for their late night walk in the park. According to her, he had been a bit skeptical about a walk in the middle of winter, but he eventually agreed under the prospect of keeping Hermione warm. The thought was enough to make me sick. In my mind, we couldn't get rid of him fast enough.

I had my invisibility cloak shrunk in a pocket of my jeans so as not to alert Hermione to my plans. My coat was hung at its regular place atop one of the kitchen chairs, waiting to be thrown on at a moment's notice. In other words: All was prepared. The only thing left was to perform the charm on Hermione and wish her luck, which should be executed any moment.

A knocking noise came from the door. "Harry?"

Let the plan commence.

I walked over to the door and opened it for Hermione. She was dressed warmly in her wool jacket, matching gloves, a striped scarf, and knit hat. Her cheeks were already rosy from the chilled air and I let her inside without a moment's pause.

When I closed the door, she was standing in the middle of the loft, her hands glued to her sides. "Let's get this over with, then."

I nodded and walked over to her. Pulling my wand out of my back pocket, I murmured the tracking charm while waving it around the top of her head. I saw her shiver with the accompanied cool feeling of the spell. Within a few seconds, I was finished and she looked at me with an appreciative smile.

"Thank you, Harry."

"You're welcome." I replied, taking a step back. "Do you have your wand?"

She nodded and patted the front of her coat where I assumed she tucked the wand in one of the underlined pockets. I took in her appearance and saw that she had an air of confidence about her; a good trait to hold when you are about to go into a risky mission. If she was scared in any way, shape, or form, I could not see it.

Acting the part, I closed the distance between us and enveloped her into a warm embrace. Pulling back my head slightly, I whispered in her ear, "Be safe."

She backed out of my arms and gave me a small smile that made my chest tighten. "I will."

I watched her exit with a forced look of worry. I had no need to be when I knew that in a moment, I would be on her tail. I counted to thirty after the door shut and then went over to grab my coat and put it on. I also had a pair of gloves on the table just in case and judging by the pink Hermione had on her cheeks when she entered, I would need them. I slipped them onto my hands and peeked out the window to see Draco pulling up in a posh-looking black car. I hadn't known he had learned to drive whilst he had been here. He had really gone all out.

Hermione was waiting on the porch and I saw her begin to make her way over to the car. I reached into my pocket with my gloved hand and pulled out the shrunken invisibility cloak that was no bigger than a thin tissue. I recited the countercharm and it popped back to its regular size. I pulled it on and made a beeline for the door, being careful to pull it open and shut quietly. I raced down the steps with muted agility, something I had picked up when training with Moody. I could hear his voice in my head now when I reached the back of Malfoy's car — "_Constant vigilance!_"

"_Adhaerio!_" I whispered the strong sticking charm and aimed at my left hand, feet, and cloak as I grabbed onto the curved back of the car.

I had made it just in time, for the car reared to life as soon as I was secure. It made a right out of the driveway and then remained straight as we passed many large houses and trees. The ride there was quick, the park Hermione chose being only a few miles away. When the car made a sharp left, my body was thrown a bit to the side, but remained stuck to the hard metal of the moving automobile. We veered into onto a short dirt road cleared of snow that turned into a large patch of parking spots. Malfoy turned into one in the corner and the car halted. I quickly whispered the countercharm to my attached limbs and cloak and touched my feet soundlessly to the gravel. It still made a crunching noise and I knew that if I was going to make any progress, I had to keep completely silent. I leant down and pointed my wand at my feet.

"_Silencio Vestigium_." I whispered.

To test out the charm, I moved my right foot along the dirt in a smooth motion. No noise emitted. I smiled to myself and stood up, pocketing my wand. I turned around and waited for Hermione and Malfoy to get out of the car. They did after a moment for what I hoped to be innocent chatter. They rounded to the front of the car and I walked a few feet behind them. I stopped short when I realized they weren't yet going anywhere.

"Why exactly did you want to come here?" Malfoy asked curiously.

"It's my favorite place to just come and be alone." Hermione said innocently.

"Ah. So you wanted to be alone with me."

I almost groaned aloud. Hermione saved me from giving myself away by responding softly. "Well, I haven't seen you since the break started. I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too." He then leaned in for a kiss. I saw the look of disgust on Hermione's face as their lips met briefly, which reassured me somewhat.

"Come." She said after he pulled away. "I want to show you my favorite part of the park."

"Okay."

He was putty in her hands. She began to walk forward and he hurried to catch up. I had to jog in order to keep a steady five foot distance from the pair. Halfway through the journey, Malfoy grabbed Hermione's hand. She turned her head over to him and he smiled. She returned the gesture and went back to leading the three of us to her intended destination.

We followed a winding path and then veered off into a patch of woods that was unmarked by any human-made tracks. I trusted Hermione's judgment, but this place was starting to give me the creeps. The park at night reminded me eerily of the Forbidden Forrest at Hogwarts — a place filled with dark and dangerous creatures, true to its given name. No one wanted to go in there unless absolutely necessary. Thankfully, I saw a clearing ahead and was relieved when we stopped. The place was similar to the clearing I had flown us to for Hermione's flying lesson, but it was much smaller and had many more trees. Above us, the branches of the taller trees bent to create a dome of sorts that in the spring, leaves would bloom and shield the secluded place. It was the perfect cover if one wanted to get away and block out the rest of the world.

"Is this it?" Malfoy asked oddly, letting go of Hermione's hand and walking around the small perimeter. I had to take a few steps back to keep him from running into me.

"Yeah." She answered. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"It's… dead." Malfoy said, touching one of the snow-covered branches and bending it slightly.

"Not dead, just momentarily hibernating." Hermione corrected. "If it weren't for the cold, this would be the perfect place to live."

"Out _here_?" He asked in astonishment. I recognized the tone instantly. Sure enough, he stuck his nose up in the air and made a quick sweep of the clearing with his eyes. "What about a house?"

She shrugged. "Don't need one. The trees would cover you from any rain."

"Food?"

"There are plenty of berries and mushrooms around to survive well enough."

"And how would you keep warm? Sew leaves together to make a blanket?" He said this mockingly and I sneered from beneath the cloak.

Hermione caught his tone and narrowed her eyes. "Haven't you ever made a fire out of sticks and rocks before?"

"Sticks and rocks?" He asked. "No need to."

"Have you even cooked your own meal before?"

"No." He said.

"Not once?" She asked suspiciously.

"Maybe a box of noodles back home, but that's about it."

The lie was as slick as grease. The Draco Malfoy I knew had never lifted a finger in his own home. He had house elves and servants do that for him. I doubted he ever made his own bed, let alone a sandwich. He must have caught onto his reaction and was trying to cover up his tracks.

"I'm not much of a cook myself, either." Hermione said, pretending to fall for his ploy.

"At least I'm not alone on that front." He said with a hint of relief in his voice.

"That you are not." She said. "So how has your break been? Did you go back to your old town?"

"Yes." He said slowly. "I visited with a few old friends."

"From your old school?" She prompted.

He nodded. "I try to keep in touch."

"You never told me much about your old school." She continued, knotting her hands behind her back and beginning to walk around the clearing, giving her the look of a curious girlfriend.

He shrugged. "There's not much to say."

"But I'm curious." She said in a childlike voice. "It seems so interesting — a boarding school in Scotland."

"It was very boring." He said tightly.

"Oh come on." She said with a wine. "I've never been outside London. At least tell me what it _looked_ like."

He was silent for a moment. I almost thought he wasn't going to tell her, but then a small smile appeared on his pale lips. "I'll humor you, then. It was fairly large, more like a castle, really. The students lived in separate dormitories throughout the building. The teachers weren't very good, all too absorbed in their own personal dramas to teach us anything worthwhile. There, you happy?"

"For now." She said mischievously. "What about sports? Did you play any?"

"For recreation mostly. No one in the school was good enough to play me in anything more than chess."

I gritted my teeth at the false statement. I had, on multiple occasions, showed him up in Quidditch, yet he refused to admit I was better than he was. There must be something wrong with his head. Perhaps it was stuck up his ass with the rest of his talents.

"You know, I was reading about sports the other day." Hermione said breezily. "I ended up in the mythological section and was reading all about crazy sports played throughout history, or, at least, rumored ones."

He looked interested. "Such as?"

"Oh, you know, old football with severed human heads, jousting bare naked atop goats… and then this really odd sport with hoops and flying that made absolutely no sense at all."

"Oh?"

She crossed her hands around her chest. "Players would ride around on flying brooms and shoot balls through the air. It was rumored to be played with sorcerers or something. I think it was called Quidditch."

"Q-Quidditch?" His face had become pale white.

"Yes." She turned around to face him and was holding her wand in her right hand. "Quidditch."

"Her—"

"_Pertrificus Totalus!_" She shouted.

The curse hit him and he dropped to the ground, stiff as a board. She smirked and walked over to him. I wanted to shout in excitement. I had waited _ages_ for someone to knock him off his feet. I'm glad that someone was Hermione.

She walked over to him and craned her head to the side. He looked up at her with an amused expression. "Finally figure it out, did you?"

"Did you really think you could fool me forever?" She answered with a question.

"I did long enough." He said. "You were infatuated from the moment you met me."

She discarded his comment. "It was all a lie. All of it was so your precious master could steal the bond Harry and I share for his own use!"

"Of course it was. Did you really think I would ever fall for you? Hell, even Potter has trouble putting up with you. You're nothing but a shrill, filthy, Mudblood."

With a face as hard as stone, Hermione leveled a kick to his side, causing him to cry out in pain. "Don't ever call me that."

"Feisty." He said coolly.

"Your act is done, Malfoy. After tonight, you can crawl back to Voldemort, knowing you failed him. The bond will remain to the Order and there's nothing you can do about it."

"You seem so sure."

"Of course I'm sure. I'm not the hopelessly deranged girl you met last year. I'm a witch and I know everything about the bond performed on Harry and I all those years ago. Don't play me for a fool."

He smirked and I knew something was off. Something in the way he began to draw out his next words alerted me. "Obviously you have been terribly misinformed."

"Don't start with your mind games again, Draco." Hermione warned sternly. "I've had enough of them to last a lifetime."

He chuckled deep in his throat. I saw a flicker of something just behind Hermione and stiffened. "Did you really think the Dark Lord would only have one side of the plan?"

"What are you—?"

"_HERMIONE, BEHIND YOU!_" I bellowed, throwing my cloak off me.

Thankfully, instead of looking at me after my outburst, she listened and turned around just in time to see the Death Eater rush out of the bushes. She raised her wand quickly. "_Stupefy!_"

I looked around for another flicker of movement and saw one to my left. I turned and shot a stunner in that direction. I heard a satisfying _thump_ a moment later and continued my scan of the perimeter. If there was anyone else here, they weren't making any moves to attack. I lowered my wand and walked over to Hermione, who was looking down at the comatose body of the Death Eater she had knocked out.

"Good shot." I said.

She turned to glare at me. Before she could speak, however, Malfoy opened his fat mouth.

"Ah, Potty has come to save the day!"

"Shove off, Malfoy. You're the one paralyzed on the ground."

That shut him up.

The same did not go for Hermione.

"What the _hell_ are you doing here, Harry?" She shouted, her anger bursting like a ripe volcano.

"Protecting you for a swarm of Death Eaters," I responded evenly.

She spoke through clenched teeth. "You said I was capable of doing this on my own."

"I never said that." I corrected. "I agreed to let you go out alone."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I wanted to make sure you were alright!" I said angrily. "I thought you would be at least a little bit appreciative about me saving your life."

"Well I'm not." She said. "I was in control of the situation."

"Oh really?" I asked, motioning to the two unconscious Death Eaters without looking at them.

She waved a hand. "Minor inconveniences."

"Hermione." I said severely. "You know as well as I do that if I hadn't been here, they would have tried to kidnap you like the first time."

"_Tried _being the operative word."

"Tried and succeeded." I corrected. "You may be a great spell caster, Hermione, but you don't have enough experience to take on two highly trained Death Eaters trying to kidnap you."

"You never know. I could surprise you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Do you really believe that?"

She sighed heavily and didn't answer. I took that as enough to continue on. I turned around to look at Malfoy and saw that he was no longer there. My blood ran cold as I looked around us for any sign that he had been dragged off. Nothing. He just disappeared. I looked over in the direction of the Death Eater I had knocked unconscious to see him gone as well. I didn't even have to turn back around to know that the other one was missing. I swore under my breath.

"Harry." Hermione said behind me. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"What?" I asked as I turned. But I already knew the answer to the question. There, carved into the dirt, was a familiar scrawl embedded into the soil with red flames.

_It's not over yet._

"What does that mean?" She asked in a shaky voice.

I walked over to her and put my arm around her shoulders. She leaned into me and I held her close. "It means we have make a call to the Order. Voldemort's up to something big and we need to find out what it is before he stops playing games and finds one of us."

**A/N: I hope you liked the new chapter! Thanks to Vincent, my wonderful beta, and to all of you who have been reading and reviewing. You guys mean so much to me and I cannot express how much I'm grateful for your constant support and kind words.**

**-Shar**


	17. Untitled

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Untitled**

"_Surprise, sometimes, will come around  
Surprise, sometimes, will come around  
I will surprise you sometime.  
I'll come around  
Oh, I will surprise you sometime.  
I'll come around when you're down..._"  
- Interpol (Untitled)

"It's not over yet?" Remus said thoughtfully.

"In the same fire as the last message, yes." Harry replied in earnest. "What does it _mean_, Remus? The first message was cryptic enough, but now they've repeated the desired the effect with less words."

"I can't say for sure, Harry." Remus said. "We're still vehemently researching the last message. The only thing we've gotten is they have another plan up their sleeve, and one they're confident about."

"God damnit!" Harry cursed.

"Harry." I scolded.

He turned to look at me and through the flames I could see the ever-present lines of worry etched into his brow, accentuated by the small green flickers of floo. "I'm sorry, Hermione, but they obviously have some sort of advantage over us at this point. Draco's end of the deal was foiled and it's only a matter of time before they lose their patience and come after you—"

"Well there must be _something_." I said, cutting him off. I turned to Remus. "Haven't you checked the other bondage scriptures as well? There has to be some sort of clue hidden, we just need to find it."

"I'm afraid I haven't obtained any information from the other books." Remus said with a solemn shake of his head.

I gave an exasperated sigh. "The answer is right under our noses, I can feel it."

"Or it is deeply hidden within the depths of some ancient text that only Voldemort and his followers have read. There is no real way of knowing." Harry said.

"Way to look on the bright side of things." I said dryly.

"I'm being realistic. These messages are taunting us and putting more on our minds than necessary. I say we just forget about them for now if it's getting us nowhere."

"We can't just give up." I said.

"We're not giving up; we're simply pausing one aspect of this mission is all."

"It's the same thing. If we turn up our noses at these messages, we'll remain ignorant to Voldemort's plan and have more of a risk of being caught off guard. We can't risk it with my limited magical experience and your ignorance."

"I am not ignorant!"

"Then stop complaining about these messages and help the others research! Or, better yet, just leave, because with you slowing down the progress, we could make better time without you."

Harry looked as if he had been slapped. Remus remained silent and looked between the two of us rapidly. Harry gritted his teeth and spoke with them tightly clenched together. "I can't help because I'm busy here saving your life. If it hadn't been for me, you would have been ambushed and in the clutches of the one man who won't play any games to get what he wants. He'll pry your mind, torture you, and slowly pick you apart until he gets what he wants. Forgive me for wanting to protect you from that."

"I can take care of myself."

"Enough with your feminine bravado," He said coolly. "Look at the situation we're in. If you would remove that stick from up your—"

"If I may intrude," Remus said loudly, cutting Harry off. We both craned our heads to look at him, both with similar looks of fury on our emerald faces. "Hermione, we have many bright men and woman researching as we speak. Harry is right; his job is to protect you. If you wish to help you may, but only in ways familiar to you."

"What does that mean?"

"Deciphering," He replied. "We have plenty of book researchers, but no one here is very advanced when it comes to sentence structure. Perhaps we're looking too far into it and the answer is in the message itself. You are in an advanced literature course, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then I suggest using your extensive knowledge and help crack this cipher. In my personal opinion, it may be the one thing that could lead us to any sort of conclusion."

"What about the other researchers?"

"Extra precautions — all fields should be covered with the risks this high."

"I'll do whatever I can to help." I said sincerely.

"And you will inform me if you uncover anything?" He asked.

"Of course."

"Then that is all. Thank you for the call, Harry, I will pass this information onto Dumbledore at once."

Harry nodded stiffly. I could tell he was still upset over our exchange earlier, as was I. I was just better at hiding it. Well, I couldn't say that for sure seeing as I had no way of seeing my own face. But I already regretted saying the things I did to him. He really did save my life, whether I liked it or not, and I owed it to him to at least offer my thanks.

"Oh, and Harry," Remus said right before we pulled out our heads. "Take it easy."

To his credit, Harry put on a small smile to the older man. "I make no promises."

Remus responded with a small chuckled and before I could grow any more attachment to the conversation, I yanked my head out of the flames. The air inside the flat was noticeably cooler than the floo, a fact which I found slightly amusing seeing as you weren't supposed to feel anything when you flooed somewhere.

Harry was standing as soon as his head was released from the encasement of green flames. I quickly followed suit and spoke before I lost my nerve.

"I'm sorry."

He turned to look at me, his face slightly softened. "It's okay."

"No it's not. You saved my life, you — you were telling the truth about Draco. I've been a stubborn witch and you don't deserve that after all you've gone through to be here. Although it pains me to say this, I really am thankful you ended up following me into the clearing."

"Did you really expect anything less?" He said with a crooked smile.

"I had my suspicions, of course, but I didn't want them to get in the way of my focus." I laughed dryly. "I should have known better."

"It's not your fault. I'd do it for anyone."

Despite myself, I felt a little hurt by this. Here I was thinking I was special. "I bet you would."

He shrugged. "In any case, apology accepted. It was well worth the risk, although the ferret still escaped."

"Ferret?" I asked.

"Malfoy," He corrected himself. I sensed there was a story behind the unusual term, but refrained from asking. "Voldemort's probably all caught up by now. He'll be planning his next move."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked out of pure curiosity.

He answered by pushing aside his bangs and touching his scar with a few fingers. "Whenever Voldemort feels a strong amount of emotion, I can feel it too."

I took a few steps forward. "And what is he feeling now."

He closed his eyes, searching for the answer. When he cringed violently, I hurried the few more steps toward him and took the hand dangling at his side, clutching it in mine. His eyes opened and he lowered the hand that had been covering his scar. "It's a slew of things. Anger, disappointment, happiness, excitement…" He paused. "And eager. Definitely eager."

Out of a reflex I don't remember acquiring I moved my free hand up to his forehead and felt the raised patch of skin. It was nearly scalding. I flinched away almost instantly, but with reflexes unlike any I've ever seen, Harry put a hand atop mine to keep it from pulling back. I locked his eyes with mine and saw they were an intense shade of green — darker than I remembered them being a minute ago.

"Don't — don't." He said in a dazed voice. "It feels good."

I nodded shakily and kept my hand placed gently on his scar. I felt a warm feeling begin in the pit of my stomach. It was that scarily familiar one I had felt earlier in the break. I tried my best to hold it at bay, but it wouldn't listen. The more I tried to be rid of it, the more it worked its way into my thoughts. After the events of tonight I shouldn't be thinking of anyone in this way for a long while. But if that really was the case, why was my body telling me otherwise?

With a strength I wasn't aware I had, I controlled the emotions welling up inside me and focused on just being there for Harry. That's all. Sure enough, under my skin I felt his scar lower in temperature within a few minutes. Harry and I both let out a relived breath and I began to pull away, eager to break this uneasy connection. This time he let me. I moved to take a step back but our hands were still intertwined. I looked down at them briefly and felt my face flush with color. With a bowed head, I took my hand from within his.

"I think it's my turn to say thank you." Harry said softly.

"It was nothing. Now we're even." I dared to meet his eyes with my own once more and was rewarded with another wave of warmth.

He bobbed his head once and I smiled. Thinking of a coherent sentence was becoming increasingly difficult. "Enjoy your last night of sleeping in. We go back to classes on Monday."

He groaned. "Don't remind me."

I giggled quietly, thankful he was blissfully unaware of the effect he was having on me. "If I didn't I would have to wake you up myself, which would take too much effort on my part."

"Lazy." He said teasingly.

"Right back at you."

We both laughed. I licked my lips before taking a few steps backwards toward the door. The sooner I bid him farewell, the better. "Goodnight Harry."

"Goodnight Hermione."

I left the flat hoping to get a peaceful night's rest with my mind blocking any thoughts of Harry out. Of course, my mind did the opposite and I did nothing of dream about him. Of his bravery, his stubbornness, his smile, but most of all, the shade of his emerald eyes staring at me when my hand was on top of his fiery forehead.

The next morning, I was awakened by the piercing light of the sun. I let out a sleepy groan and rolled onto my side to check the time; it was nearly ten-thirty. Deciding it was best to not sleep my last day of holiday away before school resumed, I forced myself out of bed and made my way to the bathroom to wash.

As I let the warm water wash over me, I let the events of the last few weeks play over in my head like a short film. The images of Draco's sneering face in the picture Ron gave me, the embrace I shared with Harry on Christmas morning, my first flying experience, and last night with the moment I had with Harry. These feelings were becoming increasingly frequent and it scared me. Not even a week ago, I had been in a relationship with Draco and was thinking about him in this way. Guiltily, I let a few thoughts of Harry slip into my head here and there, but I thought it completely natural then. Now I was entering dangerous territory. An attraction was one thing, but this was something more — something both unfamiliar yet completely not.

Some would argue that's what love felt like. And now I was seeing why there was debate.

The love for your family is one thing; an obligation, an upbringing. You are born loving your family and it becomes second nature so you don't recognize it as anything out of the ordinary. It fills you with completeness, a feeling of being wanted. That was the love I was familiar with. But this other feeling, this love-like emotion, was bubbling deep within my mind, body, and soul. It weaseled its way in there as easily and unnoticed as a passing breeze. One moment, I'm looking at Harry, and the next my stomach feels like someone lit a fire inside it. Was that what love was supposed to feel like? I wouldn't know. The love I already felt was programmed into my brain so I couldn't compare it to anything else. Oh damn it all to hell.

_Harry Potter, you are making me go insane._

On top of all that, I had a Dark Lord who wanted me for a bond I was unwillingly forced into when I was barely old enough to talk. Oh what a day I was having.

I exited the bathroom refreshed and went to my room to dress. Knowing I wouldn't be going anywhere, I slipped on a pair of old sweatpants and plain black t-shirt. After pulling my hair into a messy pony tail, I made my way downstairs to make breakfast. When I reached the kitchen, I realized I wasn't very hungry. Instead of skipping the most important meal of the day, which my parents always warned me not to do, I poured myself a glass of orange juice and popped a piece of bread into the toaster. When it was finished, I coated it with a thin layer of butter and took it out with me into the living room to nibble on. When I reached it, however, I was surprised to find the television already on and tuned to a channel I hadn't watched since I was twelve.

"Are you watching cartoons?" I asked as I plopped down next to Harry on the couch. He looked like he had been there a while, already dressed jeans and a gray pullover.

"I have no idea." He responded, his eyes still glued on the screen. "I just pushed the red button on the small box and it turned on."

"You mean the remote?" I asked, motioning to the thin device resting on the arm of the couch beside him.

He glanced down at it. "Is that what you call it?"

"Yes. It controls the telly." I said, taking a bite of my toast.

"Oh." He said evenly. "It's quite entertaining, these cartoons. This cat keeps chasing around this small mouse and gets outsmarted _every_ time. Can you imagine… a cat beat by a mouse! It's outrageous!"

I giggled. His enthusiasm as he described the show was enough to make anyone think he was still a small child. But he wasn't. He was a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, a Dark Lord coming after the person he was sworn to protect. And how does he spend his Sunday morning? Watching cartoons. How keen.

"Is this how you plan to spend your Sunday?" I asked, half-serious and half-joking.

"Nah." He replied. "I've still got a few problems left on my Chemistry homework."

"Oh. Do you need any help?"

"No, that's alright. I've just been procrastinating."

"How convenient of you."

"Quite."

Our attention then drifted back to the television screen where the small mouse — I think his name was Jerry, if I recall correctly — had just lured the cat into stepping on a rake. I burst out laughing when the wooden shaft of the tool collided with the feline's face, leaving a red dent. Harry turned to me with an amused look on his face. I met his gaze, still laughing softly.

"I haven't watched these in ages." I confessed. "I forgot how entertaining they could be."

He nodded in understanding. "Sometimes you get so caught up in serious things that you forget to appreciate the simple joys of life."

"Yeah." I agreed, now feeling rather somber.

A pause filled the air for a moment. Harry, knowing he had changed the mood of the conversation, made a move to correct himself. "Your parents left you a note in the kitchen, by the way." He reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled it out.

I didn't question him for taking it, though I knew I should. Instead, I silently read the note to myself. It read: _Hermione, we have a late appointment tonight and will be unable to make dinner. I left some money on the counter if you need to buy something from the market. Love, Mum._

I held out my hand and Harry slapped the money into it. She left me fifty pounds to cover dinner. I pocked the money, knowing I would be making an extensive trip to the market later. She would only leave me this much if there was a few other things to pick up that we were running low on.

"So you're going shopping later, then?"

"Yeah. You can come with me, if you'd like."

"I think I'll pass. I don't like shopping unless absolutely necessary."

"Hm."

We spent the rest of the morning on the couch watching the telly and conversing in idle chitchat. The relaxed environment was just what I needed to better control the urge to readily jump Harry. But all the while, I was still experiencing small bouts of buzzing throughout my body that alerted me to keep my wits about me.

All too soon, I checked the clock. "I should probably head out, then."

"Yeah." He said distractedly, still focused on the cartoon.

"Are you sure you don't want to accompany me? Don't I still need protection?"

This got his attention. He craned his head over to me and scrunched up his nose. "I doubt Voldemort will come after you in a grocery store."

"You just want to keep watching the telly." I accused lightly.

"So?" He asked innocently. He quickly sobered, however, when he realized I was being serious about a possible attack. "Listen, Hermione. When I woke up this morning my scar was fine. Whatever Voldemort was feeling last night has now passed and if he was going to act on anything, I would feel it. I know I would. If I thought you were in any sort of danger, would I really let you go out on your own?"

"I guess not…"

"Exactly. You'll be fine. Take your wand with you, of course, and if you are in any real danger, that spell is still on you from last night."

I was still reproachful — but maybe it was also because I wasn't looking forward to shopping for produce. I nodded regardless and went up to my room to dress. While pulling a thick jumper on, I considered giving Kat a call to see if she would want to accompany me. But I knew she wouldn't be back until later tonight. Her parents had taken her to Germany to visit family over the holiday.

When I returned back downstairs, Harry was still lounging on the couch. I didn't want to interrupt what was sure to be a very memorable Muggle experience for him, so I left without a word.

By the time I returned it was dinner time. I had bought chicken for tonight and a few other items that were on the grocery list. When I entered the house, the television was switched off and I concluded that Harry had finally listened to his guilty conscience and began finishing up his homework.

I began putting away the food with a few hovering charms. It was much more convenient than lugging the heavier items all around the kitchen. It then struck me how much I had grown in these past few months — and it was all thanks to Harry. He taught me magic, he saved my life on multiple occasions… he had sacrificed so much for me and I only offered him the knowledge that I was grateful. But that wasn't enough.

I left the chicken out, along with some potatoes and a box of frozen peas. After I finished putting away the remaining items, I got out a bag and put the three set aside portions into it. I was going to cook him dinner. And not just that, but I'd do it in his flat and teach him how. I saw the look on his face when I taught him to make toast and eggs — he was completely fascinated. Now I would show my thanks to him in a way I knew he would appreciate. And maybe, just maybe, I would muster up the courage to talk to him about how my feelings for him were shifting. Maybe he would feel the same way. Once upon a time he told me he was attracted to me at a Halloween party. It could have grown into something more.

Or maybe I was just an optimist.

Regardless, I tied up the bag and headed to my room to put my jacket away. When I arrived in the hallway, I saw a basket filled to the brim with dirty clothes sitting outside my room. I must have overlooked it when I woke this morning. I sighed and picked it up, taking it with me through the doorway. I would see to them after dinner. If things went bad, nothing mends a broken heart like folding laundry. Or was it chocolate?

The basket hit the floor with a dull _thump_. It was mostly filled with shirts and pants from last week. If I had to fold them, at least they weren't underwear. I looked over to the window and saw it had begun to rain, the kind that would turn into ice in the morning. I sighed and grabbed my jacket and put it on once more, pulling the hood up over my head.

I exited the house through the kitchen, grabbing the bag on my way out. The rain was fairly light against my coat-covered top half. But despite the gloomy atmosphere, I couldn't help but feel excited. If all went well, I could find it within myself to talk to Harry — _really_ talk to him. Especially about the bond. Maybe, after all this is over, we wouldn't have to rid ourselves of it.

I ascended the stairs gingerly, being careful to avoid slipping. I reached the top and knocked lightly on the door. I heard a grunt from within the loft and let myself in.

"Hey Harry, I brought us some food to—"

I was cut short by the scene in front of me. I could barely see Harry. In fact, if I hadn't known he was wearing those specific pants, I would have thought he was someone else. His body was half covered by the female form of another perched on his lap on top of his bed. I felt my breath catch in my throat as they both turned to look at me.

"Oh no." She spoke.

Kat. With her shirt off.

The tears were in my eyes before I could stop them. I turned to leave as quickly as I could, dropping the bag of food on the floor. I heard Harry call out my name in earnest. I ignored him as I slammed the door shut behind me. This time when my feet hit the stairs, I didn't care if I slipped.

The rain hit my face as my hood slipped off. I didn't care. All I wanted was to lock myself in my room and never leave. As soon as I got to the pavement, I sprinted the rest of the way inside, and then when I was under the confines of a roof, I ran even harder up the stairs to my room. By the time I was inside it, the door closed behind me, I was panting and crying all at once.

I felt betrayed, horrified, miserable, and everything in-between. Harry in the arms of my best friend was an image I will never forget. And to think that I had been falling in love with him… what was I thinking? He wasn't different. It was always Kat for him. Even when we kissed all those months ago, he had only done so because he thought I was her. Now here I was in my room, heartbroken. Love for another always leads to moments like these; the only way to fix it was time. Time and laundry.

My breath had returned to normal intervals, but the tears were sill freely flowing. I sunk to the floor and picked out a pair of pants from the basket. My sniffs and small sobs were the only sounds in the room. They began to subside after a few minutes, but a small knock on the door ruined the small reprieve I had just found.

Thinking it was my parents, I called them inside.

Of course it wasn't.

"Hermione." Harry said softly. He was soaking wet and slightly out of breath. I wiped at my damp cheeks, trying to hide any evidence of my tears. "I am so sorry."

"What for?" I said in as even of a voice as I could muster.

"Well, for what you saw."

"You — you shouldn't apologize for that. It was obviously what you wanted so why should I have any say in it?" It pained me, but it had to be done. His happiness was more important. I worry about myself later.

"It was enough for you to storm out." He said, taking a few more steps into my room.

"That shouldn't matter." I said, setting the shirt that I had been folding down in the correct pile. "Kat and you obviously have something and I don't want to get in the way of that."

"No, Hermione, I don't think you understand." He said quickly. "There isn't—"

I held up a hand, cutting him off. When he stopped abruptly, I stood up to face him. "You don't have to explain yourself to me, Harry. It's fine."

"But—"

"Hush." I said with finality. "Whatever I feel shouldn't matter. It's your life. You should go back to her. Don't worry about me."

"I sent her off." He replied.

I narrowed my eyes. "You sent a half-naked girl out of your loft because I interrupted?"

"No. I sent her away because I wanted to." He corrected.

I nodded, not wanting him to elaborate. I took in his appearance once more and saw that he was not only wet, he was soaked. His clothes added another ten pounds on him easy. "You're drenched!"

He looked down, like he was just realizing it himself. "Oh. Looks like I am."

I turned to look out the window and saw that the rain had picked up. He had run here and dared the freezing rain just to apologize. Despite myself, I felt touched. "You could catch a cold."

He shrugged, nonplussed. "Doesn't matter."

"Yes it does." I said. "I don't want you getting sick because of me."

"I honestly don't mind."

"Go back to your loft and warm up. Put on some warm clothes and sit by the fireplace."

"I would if I had any clean clothes." I looked at him oddly. "I didn't bring many clothes to change into. All the ones from the trip and the ones I left here are either in the wash or still in my bag which I have yet to unpack."

I sighed. "You can take some from here, I guess. But only for now."

"I really don't—"

"I insist."

He relented and I looked in the basket for clothes to give him. I pulled a pair of jeans, boxers, and white shirt that belonged to my dad. I handed to them and he took them with a noticeably dull demeanor. I chose to overlook it as I pulled out the large sheet that had been stuck to the bottom of the basket and cast a hovering charm on it so he could change. I could see his silhouette reflected on the other side and I had to keep myself from looking over at it.

"Why did you come up to the loft?" He asked.

"Pardon?"

"You left a bag of food. Why did you come up?"

"Oh." I figured telling the truth could only help me at this point. "I wanted us to cook dinner together — to make up for not believing you about Draco and all the other things you've done for me."

"Really?" He asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

"Yes."

"That… sounds amazing. You really didn't have to."

"I wanted to."

There was a long pause. I heard him make a noise of struggle and I dared a look over to the sheet concealing him. "You alright?"

"I can't seem to button up this shirt." He said in a low voice.

I took the charm off of the sheet and saw the shirt I picked out for him was the one that had the trick button that my father always complained about. I smiled softly and walked over to him to help. He dropped his hands and I fastened my fingers to the tricky garment.

"There was something else."

I didn't look up from his shirt. "Hmm?"

"There was something else you came up there for. I can tell."

I stiffened, but regained my posture quickly. "What makes you say that?"

"The look on your face when you first came looked like you had something else planned other than cooking. Years of reading into people's facial expressions pays off sometimes you know."

I bit my lip and shook my head, ignoring his observation. "The trick is to get past the extra fabric of the hole."

"Hermione…"

"Wiggle it around a bit first. Then you pull through."

"Hermione."

He placed his hand atop mine as soon as I got the button through. I looked up at him and saw his eyes begin to change to that same dark shade of green as I had seen last night — the color that haunted my dreams. My breathing began to increase and I tried to pull away, but he wasn't letting me go. He craned his head down and I was finding it increasingly difficult to find the will to pull back. Our foreheads touched.

"It's was never her." He whispered before he caught my lips with his in a heated kiss.

I reacted instantly, winding a hand around his neck while his circled my waist. I had forgotten how amazing his lips felt. How addicting they were. And because of that, my future actions were being controlled by a part of my brain I didn't even know existed until now. The heat between us was dominant. Our bodies were now pressed tightly together in a passionate embrace. His tongue caressed the seam of my lips and I opened for him. Only him.

A part of me still wanted to pull back, to ask him why this was happening. Why now after what I had just witnessed. The other part was stronger. It was telling the first to shut the hell up and enjoy myself. For once, I listened to it.

We pulled apart only for air. After a while, I began to pull the two of us back to the bed, overcome with new urges. He followed without second thought. My back collided with the clean sheets of my mattress and we backed up into a position that benefitted us both. His legs and mine were intertwined and his arms were on either side of my chest, preventing him from crushing me. His lips soon left mine and I mewed in protest. They reattached on my neck a moment after, though, which caused heat to rise up in my lower stomach that was very pleasant indeed. He nipped and sucked at the skin and I arched into him. His lips did wonders to the sensitive skin of my neck and as he began to trail kisses up to my ear it was all I could do not to call out in pleasure. I scratched my nails across his back lightly, not knowing what else to do.

I then let instinct take over and rolled over so I was on top, taking him by surprise. I sat up, him following, and straddled him. His lips still on my neck, I undid the buttons I had helped do up and pulled the shirt off him. He responded in kind and took mine off with equal ferocity, detaching his lips from my skin and gazing into my eyes. I took his hands and led them to my back, letting them settle on the clasp of my bra. He took the hint and undid it with ease, allowing me to bare my chest in front of him. With quickness I didn't know he possessed, he dipped his head down and took one of my breasts into his mouth, sucking it. Pleasure flowed through me and I moaned loudly. His other hand wound around my back and kept me from falling backwards. He switched attention to the other breast and before long I knew I was going to fall apart if I didn't do something.

I grasped the back of his neck and pulled him up into another heated kiss, tasting the sweetness that was his mouth. He then rolled the two of us over, my back colliding with the sheets once more. One hand remained on my back, but the other began to trail down my breasts, then stomach, and finally landed on the hem of my sweatpants. He slid them down quickly and I helped him get them off. I removed his jeans after so that we were in only our underwear. Before I could make a move to remove his boxers, his hand was on my panties and he began stroking my center through the thin fabric, making me go wild. I had never experienced feelings like this before, not with anyone.

Knowing it was inevitable, I trailed my hands down his back and tugged at his boxers, begging him to stop his teasing. He got the hint and we both removed the other's last remaining garment that stood in the way. They hit the floor beside us and we were then skin-on-skin. I looked up at him through lidded eyes. He was panting lightly and I realized then that I was as well. With one last look at me, he positioned himself at my center. What followed was the most surreal feeling I had ever experienced. He entered me slowly until he came to the barrier that marked my virginity. I urged him on with a thrust of my hips and he plunged. Pain incomparable to any I had ever felt went through me. He stiffened but I persisted with my hips. On he went.

It was painful, yes, but after a while I began to loosen up. After that it even began to feel good. So good, in fact, that I began to let out noises I had never heard myself use before. Harry began to go faster and I met his pace, never wanting this to end. He let out noises that rumbled in his chest and I smiled both in ecstasy and pride. My hands tightened around his back and I began to moan his name.

"Harry… _Harry_… _HARRY!_"

"Hermione." Harry moaned in return.

Then the most joyous sensation washed over me. It came in multiple waves and was continually making me feel like I was on Cloud Nine. Harry captured my lips in a kiss just as I reached the peak of the ride. I felt Harry spill inside me and both our guttural moans were lost in each other's mouth. When it was over, Harry collapsed atop me. I didn't mind much, as I was still feeling the aftereffects of my climax.

He then pulled out after a moment and rolled over beside me, hugging me to his naked chest. Only after feeling him pressed against my back did it occur to me how tired I was quickly becoming. I wiggled into his arms and heard him whisper something just before I closed my eyes and let unconsciousness envelope me.

**A/N: Thank you all for your amazing reviews and for taking the time to read my story! Also, thanks to Vincent, my awesome beta! I really don't deserve all of you, but I guess I did something right since you're all sticking around.**

**-Shar**


	18. In My Veins

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**In My Veins**

"_Nothing goes as planned  
Everything will break  
People say goodbye  
In their own special way  
All that you can rely on  
And all that you could fake  
Will leave you in the morning  
Come find you in the day_

_Oh, you're in my veins, and I cannot get you out  
Oh, you're all I taste, at night inside of my mouth  
Oh, you run away, cause I am not what you found  
Oh, you're in my veins, and I cannot get you out_

_Everything will changed  
Nothing stays the same  
Nobody is perfect  
Oh, but everyone is to blame  
All that you rely on  
And all that you can save  
Will leave you in the morning  
Will find you in the day_"  
- Andrew Belle feat. Erin McCarley (In My Veins)

When I awoke, it felt like I'd only been sleeping for a few minutes. I had no nightmares, only a very pleasant dream about Hermione and me. I didn't want to wake up for fear reality would ruin the pleasant hum in my body. Unable to fight nature, my eyes open sleepily and I found that my vision is obscured by a bushel of brown hair. It wasn't a dream. Hermione was here, naked in my arms. My drowsy haze lifts dramatically and I grinned. I lifted my head and saw it was still dark outside; telling me it was either very early or very late. The rain had stopped. Maybe that was what woke me.

I heard a soft tapping noise and look around curiously, careful not to wake the sleeping angel in my arms. The room was eerily still. The tapping became louder and only when I strained my ears to distinguish its cause did I realize it wasn't tapping at all. It was footsteps. Hermione's parents were home.

Hermione was still in peaceful slumber and, although it pained me to do so, I shook her awake. She stirred and moaned groggily. "Go away." She mumbled into the pillow.

I couldn't resist a smile. "Hermione, you have to get up."

"No." She turned over onto her stomach, capturing the hand I had wrapped around her waist between her and the mattress.

"Hermione…"

"No."

"Your parents are home and coming up the stairs."

She stiffened for a moment and then with a quickness no tired person should possess, she turned over and bolted upright, the sheet wrapped around her falling about her waist. I couldn't help my eyes glancing downwards. She caught my gaze and pulled up the sheet.

"There's no need to be modest, Hermione. It's nothing I haven't seen."

She blushed. Then, catching herself, spoke with a panicked voice. "Are my parents really coming upstairs?"

I nodded.

She swore and got out of the bed. I followed her lead and began searching the floor for the clothes I had changed into just before — yeah. It seemed very anticlimactic to spend "the morning after" searching for your clothes on the floor of the girl you just had sex with. No, not sex. Sex seemed like such a derogatory term compared with what we had shared. Even though it may be testing my masculinity to admit this, I don't care. We had made love, and it had been the single most amazing experience of my life. So amazing, that it had made me see a strange light just after we had both finished; golden like the sun.

I had just finished buttoning up my pants when a knock came at the door. Both Hermione and I went rigid. "Hermione, dear, are you awake?"

"Shit." Hermione whispered. She turned to me. "Harry, you have to get out of here."

"How?" I asked, throwing on the button-up that got us into this situation in the first place. Well, that, and my irrepressible desire to kiss her.

"Apparate." She said.

My reaction was covered by the voice of Jane calling out to her daughter again. "Hermione?"

"Give me a second!" She called to her mother. She looked back over to me. "Please, Harry."

"I—"

"_Please_."

I don't know whether it was her pleading voice or the third call from her mother that forced me to do it. Perhaps it was a mixture of both. Regardless, I grabbed the rest of my things and closed my eyes, bracing myself for the horrible feeling of apparating.

I felt myself being pulled into a tight hole and was back in my flat within seconds. I wobbled in place and had to grab hold of the fireplace to keep myself from falling.

"I_ hate_ apparating." I said, though no one was listening.

I walked the short distance to the bathroom and threw my still wet clothes that I grabbed before I left into the bathtub. Turning around, I was faced with my reflection as I stared at the mirror above the sink. My hair was messier than usual, my shirt was still unbuttoned, and I had an unexplainable shine to my skin that I hadn't seen before. Maybe it was all because of what happened. Yes. That was it — being with Hermione caused me to look like this.

Oh, Hermione.

Our interlude had been rushed, yes, but it was still ever-present in the forefront of my mind. The feel of her skin against mine, her lips, the sounds she made as I ravished her. Oh yes, she was lovely. Beyond lovely. She was perfect. And now, for those precious few moments in time, she had been mine. I hoped she wasn't over-thinking what had happened by now. She had a habit of doing that. What had happened between us was real, and even if she didn't realize it now, she would. It wasn't something you could question for long. After she was done thinking, she would finally realize that we were meant to be together. Because we were in love. Funny how it took the two of us sleeping together for me to admit that to myself. All of the things I had been feeling for her made sense now. It hadn't been any normal attraction as I suspected, but something much, much more.

I was in love with Hermione Jane Granger — my fiancée, my friend, my lover.

Oh Merlin, I was a sap. But I couldn't help it. Hermione must bring it out in me. This is still a wonder, seeing how the night had started out. Part of me thought she would have slapped me for kissing her after seeing the way Kat had been on top of me on my own bed. It looked horrible, even to me. But since I knew the truth, I could tell her before she could even remember it had happened.

I stepped out of the bathroom and looked at the clock on my bedside table. It was two in the morning. Today. I would talk to Kat and Hermione today.

I walked to the window that allowed me a view of the house. I couldn't see Hermione's bedroom from here, but I knew somehow she was still awake either talking to her parents or thinking. The kitchen light was still on, telling me her parents were still up at least. I wasn't tired myself, but knew that if I was going to survive the day ahead, I should get some rest. After all, tomorrow was my first day back at school. Part of me wanted to apparate back into Hermione's room and slip into bed with her. But, in case her parents were still in there, I decided against it.

I slipped into my bed, still in my clothes, and laid awake for what seemed like hours. I must have fallen asleep at some point, though, because when my alarm woke me, I was clutching my pillow and rolled onto my side in the position I usually rest in. Since I still had no clean clothes to change into, I took a shower and put on the clothes I slept in. They were still clean and smelled normal, thankfully.

My homework was all packed and finished in my bag atop the table. I grabbed it after pulling on my coat and went outside. It was cold. The kind of cold that made the bogies freeze in your nose. I shivered and pressed forward, thankful there wasn't wind chill yet. When I reached the pavement, I noticed it was covered in a thin layer of ice from the rain last night. I sighed, the warm breath in my mouth appearing like smoke in front of my face, and walked as quickly as I could across the surface. The kitchen light was on.

I opened and shut the door quickly and basked in the indoor heating. Hermione was at the table, eating a piece of toast. I smiled at her and she flushed, smiling back at me. I removed my jacket and took a spot next to her. I was about to speak when a low voice prevented me from my left.

"Good morning, Harry."

I turned and saw Edward at the counter, sipping from a large coffee mug. I hadn't even noticed his presence. "Good morning." I replied warmly. "I thought you would be gone by now."

He shook his head. "Jane and I came home early this morning. We're opening later. Can't perform a root canal on three hours of sleep, now can you?"

I looked over at Hermione. She smiled and said through clenched teeth. "Just smile and say yes."

I smiled and said "Yes."

Edward grinned and went back to his coffee. I let out a breath and turned back to the table. There was a plate filled with toast and sausages in the middle and I loaded some onto my own in front of me. Jane must already be awake and about, because I recognize the sausages from my first breakfast here immediately.

Not knowing what to talk about, Hermione and I eat in silence. Edward's presence is not helping the situation. Once in a while we'll catch each other's gaze and look away, smiling or blushing. It was silly, really. We had seen each other naked and yet we couldn't hold a conversation with her father in the room. Although it feels like eternity, the whole thing lasts about five minutes.

"Okay, we're leaving." Hermione announced, her plate now clean.

Edward looked up and smiled. "Have a good day at school, sweetheart. Harry."

We all exchanged goodbyes quickly and Hermione and I made a beeline for the door. Fate, of course, had different plans. Jane was sitting in the living room and heard our approach.

"Harry, Hermione, hold on would you?"

We both froze and turned around slowly to look at Jane. She was standing by the couch and was motioning for us to join her. Hermione and I shared a look before we complied. We both took a seat on the couch and Jane sat across from us on one of the chairs. While we were all settling a million things were going through my head. Could she know about what happened last night? Did Hermione actually tell her? Was there something wrong? Did the Order call while I was asleep? Did Hermione tell _the Order_?

"What's up, Mum?" Hermione asked, ending my ridiculous amount of theories.

"The Order owled last night."

_Aha! So it was the order!_

"Oh? Why didn't they just floo Harry?" Hermione asked.

"It was very delicate information." Jane said, catching my attention. "They wanted to be safe in case the floo was being watched."

"The skies could be tracked as well." Hermione said.

"Yes, but this letter was encoded by an old cipher we used to use. Even if it was intercepted, it would appear as gibberish."

This silenced Hermione. I spoke up next. "What did it say?"

Jane looked over to me, her face serious. "They found out where Voldemort is hiding."

My blood ran cold. The world around me was spinning. The only thing keeping me anchored was the warmth on my right hand which, when I looked down, turned out to be Hermione grasping it within her own. I gave her a meaningful look and turned back to Jane, still slightly dizzy from her words. "Where?"

"A small island off the coast of Wales." She replied. "He's set up some sort of fort within a volcano there."

"Typical." I said dryly. "Set up camp somewhere that could kill anyone brave enough to go there."

"It isn't active. But with the amount of magic being used there it very well could be." Jane explained.

"What does Dumbledore want me to do?" I asked, knowing that there was a catch.

"Stay here." Jane said. At my aghast look, she hurriedly elaborated. "For now. He will contact you later in the day for further instructions."

I nodded shakily. And to think last night I was only worrying about confrontations with Hermione and Kat — now I had the location of Voldemort at my fingertips and was probably going to go after him within the next twenty-four hours. I could hear Mad-Eye Moody's voice in my head: _Christmas is over, Potter. Welcome back to reality._

I must have looked out of sorts, because Hermione squeezed my hand and asked if I was okay.

I looked over at her worried face and put on a smile for her. "I'm fine. Let's just get to school."

She looked at me oddly for a moment, but nodded soon after. Turning back to Jane, she spoke softly. "We'll see you after school, Mum. Thanks for telling us this."

Jane smiled. "Sure thing. Be careful."

"Always am."

If it weren't for Hermione pulling me up by our interlocked hands, I don't think I would have found the will to stand. She led the two of us out the door and to her car in silence. All the while I could feel Jane's eyes on us. When we got inside the car, I finally began to feel a bit better. On the short ride to school, I had to repress the urge to talk about what happened last night with Hermione. Even though I knew it had to happen sooner or later today, having a heart-to-heart in the car didn't seem like the way to do it.

"So what now?" She asked. It was a loaded question.

I took the safe route. "I wait for Dumbledore to contact me."

She nodded. I could see the slight fall to her face. She had meant about last night. I wanted desperately to talk to her about it but something pulled me back. Instead, I said one word that I knew she would understand and respect. "Later."

"Okay."

The rest of the ride was filled with nothing but silence. When we arrived at school, I had to brace myself for the icy cold air that welcomed me there. Walking to the entrance felt like a stroll in Antarctica. The inside of the school brought a reprieve equal to the one I had entering the house earlier. A few students are already inside and in their small groups, huddling together. I walked with Hermione to her locker and told her I'd see her in a few minutes in class. She smiled sadly at me and I left.

The time alone allowed me to think about how I could approach her. I found a corner near my first class and thought. After five minutes, the only thing I could think of saying to her was "Yeah, we had sex last night. It was pretty much the best night of my life. I love you." Somehow, I didn't think that would cut it.

I went into the classroom and took my seat by Hermione and Kat. Draco, not to my surprise, was absent. Hermione's demeanor seemed to be cooler than a few minutes ago. I looked at her for a moment and wondered what had happened. It then occurred to me what was different; Hermione and Kat weren't talking. Usually when I walked in, the girls were in animate conversation about something. But now, all that was between them was an invisible brick wall. Looks like my easy window of opportunity to talk to Hermione without question had passed.

Mr. Cain entered the classroom as soon as the bell rang. He welcomed all of us back and took attendance. Soon after, we lost ourselves in an hour-long discussion of Shakespearean Literature and how it relates to the modern world. Hermione participated as much as she usually did, which struck me as her own way to cope — losing herself to knowledge and argument. Kat remained silent, looking at me from time to time when she thought I wouldn't notice. I squirmed in my seat in discomfort.

Lunch. I would talk to her at lunch.

As the morning passed, I thought about what I would say to Kat. It was surprisingly easier than thinking about what I would say to Hermione. Instead of spending five minutes thinking and coming up with a horrible explanation, I had a starting sentence, argument, and witty replies to anything Kat could come up with for counterarguments. Lunchtime was now here and I was ready for action.

I told Hermione I would meet up with her in a few minutes and she agreed once more, my promise in the car still holding. It didn't take me long to find Kat. She was walking raunchily toward the cafeteria and getting the attention of many male students, young and old. I rolled my eyes and walked right up to her. She smirked when she saw me approach.

"Well hello there, Harry." She said with a winning smile.

"Kat." I greeted curtly. "Do you mind if we talk. Alone?"

She shrugged. "Sure."

I led the two of us to an empty part of the hallway against some lockers. I waited for a group of younger students to pass before I started. Kat was looking anxiously up at me.

"About last night." I started. "I just wanted to tell you that it was a mistake."

Her face fell. "A mistake?"

"Yes." I said evenly.

"But… I thought you liked me…"

"I _do_ like you Kat." I said carefully. "Just not in that way. And certainly not when you show up at my doorstep and pounce on me."

She sighed and looked at the floor. Afraid I hurt her in some way, I spoke in a softer tone. "I just don't understand, Kat. Why did you do it?"

She looked up and I saw her eyes were slightly tearful. "I just wanted to feel wanted, you know? Hermione seemed to trust you and we had that date on Halloween. I just figured you would be okay with it. You seemed like it when we first met."

"I've changed a lot since then." I said. I thought of the countless girls I had slept with in the past and how they meant nothing to me then and brought guilt to my conscience now. I barely remembered half their names.

"Yes, I can see that. You practically threw me out the door after Hermione saw us." She said accusingly. I recalled her throwing on her top and storming off after I told her to leave.

"Sorry." I said sincerely. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just… wanted to make sure she was okay."

"Why shouldn't she be? It's not as if she… _oh_. Oh my God." Realization shone through her eyes. "I didn't — I didn't know."

"Know what?" I asked carefully.

"How could I have been so _stupid_?" She continued as if she hadn't heard me. "Oh, I've been a horrible friend! And here I was thinking that you were just being an asshole."

"Hey!"

"It was written all over both your faces. Gods, why didn't I see it a month ago?" She looked up at me. "You love her."

The statement took me aback a little. "Oh. Well, I…"

"Don't bother denying it."

"I'm not." I said. "You just… how could you tell?"

"I couldn't until I thought about it." She said. "I should have done that before I came over last night. If I would have just _thought_ before I acted then this wouldn't have happened."

_And Hermione and I wouldn't have had sex, either. _"It's okay. I'm planning on talking to her later about it."

"You didn't talk already?"

_We did much more than talk. _"Not yet, no."

"Well you'd better get on it before she… oh, no. What about Drake?"

_She still doesn't know about him_, I had to remind myself. He would probably never return to this school again let alone show his face anywhere near Hermione. But, I had to put it in Muggle terms. "They broke up."

"Oh." She said sadly. "Well that's great for you, I guess. But Hermione must be devastated. I mean, she's been pining over him for a while."

"Oh, I think she'll be fine." I said with a smile. She looked at me oddly. Again, I had to make up a lie to get her on my side. "He cheated on her."

Cheated is a synonym for lied, right?

"_Really?_" I nodded. "That snake!"

I snorted. The irony was overwhelming.

"You have to talk to her!" She said heatedly. "Tell her I raped you or something!"

My eyes widened. "Or I could tell her the truth."

"Right." She said, calming down a little. "It's not as if it's your fault anyway."

"Right. So I'll just say you were really horny, jumped me, and she came in at the wrong time."

"Or not." She said. I then realized how stupid I sounded. So much for a perfect conversation. I blamed Kat — she had to go and change my plan. "Dress it up a bit."

"I can do that." I said.

She looked at me expectantly. I shifted my weight on the balls of my feet. "Now would be nice."

"What, now?" I asked.

"No time like the present."

"Declarations of love usually aren't professed in a cafeteria."

"So? Be spontaneous!" she said with a grin. "Girls love that."

"They do?"

She nodded enthusiastically. Then, she caught me by surprised and leaned up to place a quick kiss on my lips. I looked at her with a confused expression and she giggled. "For luck."

I smiled and nodded at her. I took a deep breath and looked past her to the cafeteria and was surprised to see Hermione walking straight toward us. My luck was finally turning. Kat followed my gaze and smiled. She whispered a goodbye and gave me a wink before heading off in the opposite direction.

This was it. I was going to tell Hermione I loved her. I was going to explain the whole thing with Kat was a serious case of bad timing. I was going to be completely honest for the first time in my life. My stomach began to twist in uncomfortable knots. I put on my best poker face when Hermione reached me and waited for her to speak, as it was obvious she had something to say first.

She looked into my eyes and spoke evenly. "I think it's best we forget that talk."

My face and stomach both fell. "What?"

"We both know it was a mistake. I don't even know why I went along with it in the first place. I was obviously thinking with the wrong part of my brain."

I was speechless. How could she be saying such things? "I don't think it was a mistake."

She laughed shortly. "No, you wouldn't, would you? Not with your past and all. I'm just another notch on your bedpost."

"What are you talking about?" I asked desperately.

"You know what I'm talking about, Harry. Gods, and to think that I actually thought I…" She trailed off. I wanted her to say it — _needed_ her to say it. "Never mind."

It was like a stab to my chest. "Listen, Hermione—"

"No." She interrupted. "I've had enough of your lies. Let's just pretend this never happened. It's better for the both of us that way."

_Better for you, maybe. Not for me. Never for me. _"You didn't — you didn't feel anything last night?"

"Anything I felt was a lie. Who are we kidding? We can't be together. You deserve someone better. You made your choice, and now I'm making mine."

"I…"

"It's better if we leave it at this." She said softly. She looked constricted, especially in her face and posture. "See you later, Harry."

And she was gone. She brushed past me like a tidal wave, a strong tidal wave that broke every part of my being, but mostly my heart. She broke my heart.

She didn't love me. She thought it was a mistake.

_She didn't love me. She thought it was a mistake._

Without a second thought, I raced down the hallway. I passed by a few pupils, who regarded me as nothing more than a crazed man. Maybe I was. Then I passed by professors who threatened to write me up if I didn't slow down. I didn't. I ran through the doors that led outside, barely feeling the icy winds that finally chose to appear. I ran through the parking lot, dodging patches of ice that threatened to slow me down.

I knew I was running, but I couldn't find a reason not to anymore. What was love if it wasn't returned? I couldn't admit to her I loved her if she was so easily throwing away what I thought to be the defining moment for us. The moment we needed no words to express how we felt. But I guess that was just me. Anger pierced at my skin mixed with a strong sense of sadness.

There was a patch of woods surrounding the parking lot. I ran through the first few pine trees and came to an abrupt stop, barely catching my breath before I apparated away. Away from the school, away from Hermione, just _away_.

It didn't surprise me when I ended up in my flat. I collapsed on the floor and slid over to the fireplace, knowing what I had to do. Summoning the urn from the mantle, I threw in a handful and watched the flames turn green. I shouted my destination and stuck my head in the flames, the feeling of being pulled through the network the only sensation I was allowing myself to feel.

I saw the familiar surroundings and called out. "Remus! Sirius!"

Within seconds, Remus came running into the room. He saw my head in the fireplace and rushed over. "Harry! What's wrong? What happened?"

I didn't answer his questions. But I did speak in a tone that reflected nothing of my actual feelings. I spoke with certainty and valor, knowing I must if I wanted this to work. "I need to speak with Dumbledore."

**A/N: I hope you all liked the newest addition to the story! There's only a handful of chapters left, so hang tight! I think now is a good time to announce that I will be putting together and soundtrack and score once more, available to download when the last chapter is posted. Thank you to Vincent, my wonderful beta, and to all who have been reading and reviewing the story! I love you guys :)**

**-Shar**


	19. Running Away

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**Running Away**

"_Don't lie and say that it's OK.  
It's alright if there's nothing more to say.  
So I'm running away.  
I'm leaving this place.  
Yeah, I'm running away.  
I'm running away._"  
- Midnight Hour (Running Away)

Don't tell me I'm the one to blame.  
It's too late for you to make me stay.  
No, I won't stay.  
So I'm running away.  
I'm leaving this place.  
Yeah, I'm running away.  
I'm running away.

And faster than you can follow me from this lonely place.  
And farther than you can find me, I'm leaving  
Yeah I'm leaving today.  
And I, I'll never let you find me.  
I'm leaving you behind with the past  
No, I won't look back.  
And I don't want to hear your reasons.  
Don't want to hear you tell me why I should stay.

Harry didn't show up for our last classes.

On any other day this would have bothered me, especially after what happened last night. But that was before he broke my heart, _especially after what happened last night_. I had really thought that he loved me back. I guess it was just high hopes, though. Delusions. It was stupid of me to think that anything could have happened. Now all I had to hold on to was that one night we had shared when I had thought maybe, just _maybe_, we could be like that forever. Reality didn't even allow that reprieve. He wanted Kat. It had always been Kat.

How could I have been so stupid? How could I have given into him so easily — so quickly? Normal, rational me would have thought about things before following something that extreme through. Instead, I kissed him, touched him, as though it was completely natural. But it wasn't. Our relationship was the complete opposite of natural. We were a fairytale told backwards, minus the happy ending. Instead of boy meets girl, boy and girl date, boy and girl marry, boy and girl make love and have babies, we have illustrated our own skewed version. It shouldn't even be associated with something as carefree as a fairytale. It was more like a Greek tragedy than anything.

But even though I knew I should be angry not only at myself, but at Harry as well, I couldn't bring myself to. Something was holding it back. Not me, surely. If I had any say I would be home right now, my hands at Harry and Kat's necks and squeezing all of the air out of their lungs. But no. I couldn't even do that. Instead I was stuck in a classroom waiting for the bell to ring so I could return home.

One minute left.

The teacher was assigning us homework and I hurriedly copied it down in my notebook. On top of my two other assignments, this would prove a very easy distraction from committing a double homicide. Hopefully. With Kat being in the last class with me, it was getting harder and harder to keep calm. I had done a decent job so far. No tears, no broken bones. As soon as that bell rang, though, it was anyone's guess what I might be susceptible to.

_Ring ring ring._

I quickly stuffed my things into my book bag and rushed out of the classroom. I thought I had made it out safely when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I spun around and came face-to-face with one of my possible victims.

She greeted me with a sly smile. "I thought you would have gone home with Harry by now. But, I guess you wanted to catch up in your classes before you do the dirty, yeah?"

I gritted my teeth, trying not to let my anger shine through my obviously tense demeanor. "What are you on about, Kat?"

Her eyes widened. "Don't tell me you turned him down?"

"Turned who down?"

"Harry, of course!" She said snappishly. "Gods, Hermione, I thought you were thick but not so much as to turn down the one opportunity you had to be happy!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked, growing increasingly frustrated.

She inclined her head to the side, her frigid features softening only just. "Didn't Harry speak to you before he left?"

"Oh, he spoke to me alright." I said bitterly.

"Then why are you so tense? You should be happy! Having a guy like Harry head over heels in love with you should allow you some happiness at least."

My stomach clenched in an uncomfortable knot. "He… he what?"

Her eyes grew in size once more. "He didn't tell you yet? Oh, now I've gone and ruined it! I'm so sorry, I thought—"

"Wait." I said, holding up a hand. She stopped talking abruptly and I continued in a soft voice. "What do you mean by head over heels in love with me? I thought Harry liked you."

"_Me?_" She asked in shock. "Yeah, right! If I were so lucky."

"But then… what about that kiss?" I asked, trying to piece this together without getting to ahead of myself.

"Ki—? Oh! Oh no, that was just for luck!" She explained in a hurried voice, as if saying it faster would validate her words. "No, he was about to talk to you and I thought he needed a bit of egging on. It was the first thing I thought of. Why would you — _oh_. Oh God. You thought that he and I were together?"

I nodded numbly.

"And when I left you two alone… what did you say to him?" She asked.

I paused, not wanting to give too much away just yet. Not when I didn't have the whole story. I spoke in a clipped tone, one filled with building sadness. "I told him to forget about us. That we could never be together because I would always be a notch on his bedpost. I… I…." _said that last night was a mistake when it wasn't. _

"Oh no." She moaned. "This was not supposed to go like this. You two were supposed to confess your love and fall into each other's arms like in those cheesy romance novels I borrowed from you." I blushed. "You have to go after him!"

"What?" I asked, startled.

"Go after him! He loves you, Hermione. That's what he wanted to tell you. It was never him and me. He's only had eyes for you since the first time we all met. Even Drake could tell."

The mention of Draco's alter-ego caused a shutter to run through me, but I ignored it. Harry loved me. _Harry loved me._ He loved me and I loved him! It was a feeling unlike any I had ever experienced before. Knowing someone loves you is the most powerful adrenaline rush a person can have. But as quickly as the alertness and warm happiness had come, they disappeared with a new set of thoughts. I had rejected him — broke him. He must have left as soon as I turned around, not knowing what to do. I drove him away with my hurtful, untrue words, like knives on his fragile skin. I knew Kat was right. I knew what he was feeling right now — hurt, heartbroken, angry. I also knew that those were dangerous feelings, ones that could drive you to think of homicide or worse.

I looked over at Kat. She gave me a knowing smile. "Go on."

As desperately as I wanted to, one thing still remained unknown. "What happened last night between you two?"

"What? Hermione you don't have time to—"

"_Please_, Kat." I said desperately. I had to know. I had to confirm everything.

She inhaled sharply and nodded after a moment. "It's nothing, really. I showed up to the house looking for, well, you can guess what. I've liked Harry since the Halloween party when he asked me and thought that he wouldn't mind, you know, getting to know each other better." I refrained from flinching, but knew I had to listen in order to get to Harry. "I, well, I jumped him. He was surprised at first, obviously, but caught onto what I was trying to do fairly quickly. By then I had already taken off my shirt — you know how quickly I can change — he tried to pull away, but I wasn't registering anything. You see, I was a little… drunk."

"Drunk?" I asked breathily, my voice shining with disapproval. "Kat, you know how much I hate you drinking, let alone going anywhere while intoxicated."

"I know, I know." She said, waving her arms about as if to wave away my judgment. "But I wasn't thinking straight, okay? So Harry started mumbling all these incoherent things that I couldn't really make out. I didn't even recognize them as protests until I saw the look on his face after you stormed out. He kicked me out as soon as you left. Said he had to explain everything and make it right."

I still remember his out-of-breath entrance to my room vividly. And now I knew why. He was hurrying to explain but I just waved him off. That's all I did where Kat was concerned. I had always assumed that they fancied each other but now that I knew it was one-sided… things became suddenly clearer. The initial unease I had with Kat's story faded and was replaced with my earlier adrenaline rush with the guilty feelings only adding to the energy. I had to get home.

"Thank you, Kat." I said. "For explaining. I'll see you later, okay?"

She smiled and nodded. I turned and began to jog down the hallway to the exit. "GO GET HIM!" I heard her call after me. I laughed and picked up my speed.

As soon as I reached my car I took the quickest route to my house. Being mindful to drive carefully, I couldn't help but bounce up and down in my seat with excitement. In just a few minutes I was going to clear the air with Harry. I would apologize for everything I had put him through and we would live happily ever after. Then, a thought occurred to me. What if he didn't forgive me? I know that if I had been put through half the pain Harry had I would be more than a little sore to the person who had caused me to feel as such. I wouldn't put it past Harry to never speak to me again. But if he loved me like I loved him there was always room for forgiveness. There had to be. For both my sake and his — for the sake of love.

I pulled into my driveway and slammed on the break. I grabbed only the keys and locked up the car, leaving my homework forgotten in the back. The front door was locked and I plunged my house key into the hole, twisting it hurriedly and throwing open the door. When I was inside the walls I felt a grin spread on my face. He was so close. I threw my keys on the couch and sprinted to the other side of the house, through the kitchen and out the back door that lead to Harry's flat. I knew that if he was anywhere in the house, it would be there. I could picture Harry atop his bed, sleeping or reading, my entrance shocking him to catch my eye. The rest was a blur.

My breath came in quick pants as I reached the top of the stairs and opened the door without knocking. I needed to see what the blur had in store for me. Whether good or bad, I didn't care. As long as Harry knew I was sorry and loved him too. I looked at the bed and saw that he wasn't there. I then made a quick scan of the room and saw that he was nowhere in sight. My intuition had been wrong. This was not his place of refuge. I sighed but let my determination overshadow the disappointment. I twisted to exit and continue my search when I heard a soft noise behind me. I stopped abruptly and turned back to the loft. The noise was coming from the bathroom door — it was the doorknob. The door had been closed. Of course! I had just caught him at an off moment. The door opened and my breath caught in my throat. Now was the moment. My eyes remained plastered on the door and I began to run through what I was going to say.

But it wasn't Harry who exited the toilet. It was someone much older, worn-looking, and dressed in earthy tones that made his sandy hair seem blander that it actually is.

"Remus?" I asked softly.

He looked up and met my eyes. "Oh. Hello, Hermione."

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "Where's Harry?" His face tightened. I knew then that something was amiss. I pressed on, wanting desperately for him to answer me. "Remus?"

"He… he left, Hermione."

My blood ran cold. No. It couldn't be true. He was at school no more than a few hours ago. He couldn't be gone. "W-what?"

"He flooed Grimmauld a few hours ago wanting to talk to Dumbledore, I haven't seen him since."

"Why did he floo Dumbledore?" I asked, trying hard to control my breathing, which was becoming increasingly ragged. "Where did they go?"

"_They_ didn't go anywhere." He said, his face growing more and more somber.

Relief spread through me like a wave of hot lava. I exhaled out my mouth and looked at Remus with a relieved expression. His face, however, remained unchanged. In fact, my expression seemed to make it worse. I furrowed my brow in confusion.

"What is it?" I asked. "They're just at Grimmauld, right?"

"Dumbledore is, yes." He replied, stuffing his hands into his trouser's pockets.

"And Harry?" I pressed.

He strode over to one of the chairs in the kitchen and sat down. He looked extremely weak. I followed him, the relief I felt just moments ago quickly ebbing away. He placed his arms on the table and knotted them together. I looked at him and he met my gaze, his eyes shining with clarity. "He went to Wales."

"Wales?" I asked. "Why on earth would he want to go there?"

The last question was more to myself, but Remus answered it anyway. I really wished he hadn't. "That's where Voldemort's hideout is, Hermione."

My mother's sit-down with Harry and I came rushing back to me. She had told us the Order had found out where Voldemort was hiding and the way his face froze was enough to inform me that he wanted with every fiber of his being to go after and kill him. And now he had… because of me. Because of what I had said to him. Because he thought I didn't love him back.

But I did. He was going to face the villain who had been after us as — what? A form of therapy? To prove that he could carry on without me? Worse… to go into a battle he could very well not walk out of at all? Oh Gods.

I looked back over at Remus and saw he was looking at me with curious eyes. I could only imagine what my face looked like right now. Probably a mix between crestfallen and crushed, maybe a little bit of guilt thrown in there as well. Hell, I was a mess. Harry, my closest friend, my lover, my fiancé, was going to battle his sworn enemy and here we were just sitting around.

The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them. "I'm going after him."

He nodded. "I figured you might say that. Harry told me to stay here and look after you, but if you're anything like your parents, you will want to do whatever is in your power to help."

"Anything." I confirmed.

"Know that I do not approve of this." He said, though I highly doubted he was all that serious. "It will take a lot to get there, I expect. When I left, I overheard Harry and Dumbledore talking about defensive spells that could be placed around the volcano. They are very powerful ones and are not to be taken lightly. I expect most of them will be down by the time you get there, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be prepared. I expect Harry's taught you about them?"

"Somewhat. Not in great detail."

"Well, let's hope that he taught you enough to keep you alive because we don't have much time." He said hurriedly. "There is an apparition point a mile from the volcano where I expect Harry must have gone. I'll take you there and then you're on your own."

"Why can't you come with me? Why can't the whole Order?" I asked.

"Harry specifically requested to do this on his own."

"What am I, chopped liver?"

He chuckled. "Not quite. You are the only person who can get to him — save him."

"_Me?_"

"Yes, you."

"But — but I'm not experienced! I haven't even been practicing magic for a year!"

He looked at me curiously. "You were so adamant to go a few moments ago."

I blanched. "A few minutes ago I wasn't aware of the repercussions."

"And are those enough to stop you?" He asked slyly.

I gulped, knowing that what he was insinuating to be right. Although I wasn't the most experienced witch on the planet, my love for Harry and irrepressible need to save him myself should be enough to push me to him and to get him home alive. The Order couldn't because he wouldn't listen. Not Dumbledore, not Remus, not even Sirius. But would he really listen to me, either? I had just broken his heart. He was vulnerable, hence the worry lines on Remus's face. He didn't know if Harry would come out alive. None of them did. The only person who could talk some sense into him as well as get him the hell away from Voldemort was — _had— _to be me. Me; Hermione Jane Granger.

"No."

His lip curled. "That's what I thought. Now, I expect you want to leave as soon as possible?"

"Yes."

"Alright." He said, getting up out of the chair and walking towards the middle of the room. "You have your wand?"

I got up as well and removed my wand from where it was shrunken in my pocket. I enlarged it with a wandless charm Harry and I had spent three days working on and waved it around to show Remus. He nodded in approval and held out his hand. Knowing how the process worked from Harry, I took his arm and almost instantly felt my stomach fold inside itself. The feeling was highly uncomfortable but only lasted for a few seconds. Next time I blinked, we were on the coast of what looked to be a snow-covered beach. I still had my coat and gloves on from when I first entered the house so I wasn't as cold as I should have been, but the air was still cold enough to get me shivering. In that instant, I remembered Harry saying that most people vomited the first time they apparated. I wondered if that was just him because I felt f—

The contents of my lunch toppled out of my mouth onto the perfect white snow. I wiped at my mouth when I was finished and looked over at Remus, my face becoming increasingly red. He looked back at me with a sort of vague amusement but said nothing. I silently thanked him for that. I stood back up straight and focused on where Remus had turned his head out to the body of water. The lake or whatever it was looked to be entirely frozen all the way to a small island in the shape of a pointed mountain.

"That's the volcano?" I asked shakily.

"I'm afraid so. It's not terribly menacing, though, is it?" He asked, trying to make light out of the very dark situation. I appreciated the effort but by the way my stomach was contacting, I saw nothing light whatsoever about this. It was made worse a few moments later when a plethora of colors began erupting from the volcano's tip.

"_What _is that?"

"Spells." Remus said plainly. "They must be dueling."

"Dueling?"

"Not simpleton's dueling, either. This battle is to the death."

I shivered, but this time not from the cold. "I suspect I should be on my way, then."

He looked at me meaningfully. "Good luck, Hermione. We're all going to be rooting for you two."

I smiled sadly at him. I then gave into an unusual urge and pulled him close to me in a friendly embrace. This may be the last time I ever saw him. I pulled back slowly and gave him one last squeeze and then turned to leave.

I had reached the frozen waters when he called out to me. "Oh, Hermione?"

"Yes?" I asked, spinning around to look at him.

"If Harry asks, tell him I brought you at wand point."

"Will do." Then, a thought occurred to me. I voiced it before he had time to leave. "Tell my parents I love them."

He smiled. "I'll tell them not only that, but to expect you and Harry home for dinner."

I breathed out a laugh.

He then spun on the spot and disappeared into thin air. I looked at the spot where he had been standing for a few moments then turned back towards the volcano, where spells were spitting out of the tip at a gruesome pace. I took a large intake of chilly winter air through my nose and began walking, my wand gripped tightly in my right hand.

The journey to the volcano was far more excruciating that I thought. Throughout the time I spent sliding my feet across the frozen lake, I began to think about what I was about to do, how quickly I had left. It had always been quick decisions recently when it came to Harry. I did everything without a second thought, something I had never done. I was becoming spontaneous — no, not spontaneous, _brave_. But was it brave to leave my parents without even a note to explain my absence? Remus was taking care of it, yes, but would his words be enough? I didn't even get to say goodbye. I hadn't even considered that I might die until I was already here. It was too late to turn back, not that I had any intention to. My first and more important priority right now was Harry.

The volcano was getting closer and closer as I traveled across the ice. Every now and then I would hear a loud sound, almost like a scream, but would wave it off as nothing. I didn't — _couldn't_ — register that it might be Harry being tortured, or worse, killed. What I needed to be thinking now were plans of how I was going to interfere. I had no intention to fight, only to get Harry out of there. My wand was only a precaution. I was _very_ inexperienced and the Death Eaters would know that. They would use it against me. I had to be on my guard at all times if I wanted even a slight chance of getting the both of us out of there alive.

The cold air began forming into a steady breeze that blew across my face heavily. I could swear it was pure ice making contact with my skin. It was as though with every step I took, more and more pressure was added. It seemed petty to be worrying about the weather when there were more pressing matters to attend to. A wind chill shouldn't be that important, or that cold. Even though I'd lived in Britain all my life and was used to cool weather, _this_ was ridiculous. I was shaking from head to toe now. Then I began to think that this sudden wind could be one of the enchantments Remus was talking about to ward away unwelcome visitors. It wasn't doing a very good job if it was, though, because I was now at least thirty yards from the shoreline of the volcano and getting closer. Harry must have dented the defenses on his arrival. I couldn't imagine what he must have gone through to get here. He must be freezing.

I reached the shore and the breeze instantly vanished. Either my intuition had been right or I was in the middle of a bizarre weather crisis. I wanted to stop and catch my breath but knew that I would be wasting precious time if I did. Instead, I began climbing a nearby hill that lead to one of the volcano walls. It took only a minute to ascend the frosted ground and when I reached the wall, I began to walk the perimeter to look for an entrance. I heard that noise again and flinched. _It's not Harry_, I reminded myself. _No. Just some disgusting Death Eater meeting his match_.

I found a crevice in the wall a few moments later and held my breath. I flattened my back against the outer wall and scooted across the remaining bit before cautiously looking around. I saw a dark corridor with a sliver of light at the end, illuminating only a thin straight line to the entrance. From the little luminance I could make out, there seemed to be no one guarding the entrance. I let out a relieved breath for my luck and pressed forward, being mindful to keep an alert mind, for all I knew there could be Death Eaters in the walls waiting to kill me. With that alarming thought in my mind, I kept to the darker parts of the hallway, trying to keep my breath in check. My heart was beating rapidly inside my chest as I approached the light at the end of the hall. I could feel myself getting closer and closer to Harry and, even more so, to Voldemort.

There were no defensive spells in this hallway and I made a mental note to thank Harry if we got out of here. _When_, I corrected myself. _When we get out of here_. If the spells were up I wouldn't have stood much of a chance. In fact, I would probably be dead by now, I realized with a shutter. Thank God for Harry and his advanced magic.

I reached the end of the hall and to the source of light. What awaited me was a lit fork in the road, so to speak. One corridor lead left and the other right, each lit by a series of torches. I bit my lip and thought about which path would lead me to Harry. One wrong turn and I could be lost in the volcano, proving my mission a failure and enhancing the risk of mine and Harry's deaths. Left or right… which would lead to him?

"POTTER!"

The scream caused me to jump and let out a scream of surprise. I covered my mouth and took a few steps back into a dark corner, hoping with all my might that I had not been overheard. The scream had definitely come from the right. I now knew which way to turn, but had no way of knowing whether or not the coast was clear. I wish I knew a spell that would allow me to look around corners without being detected or, better yet, one to make me invisible. Harry and I hadn't gotten that far with our lessons yet. Damnit.

I couldn't wait any longer. I gathered my wits and went back out into the light. Nothing. I then began walking toward where I heard the shout. This hallway wasn't as long as the first and I was both thankful and frightened of that. The end of the hall turned only to the left and out of that upcoming turn I saw bursts of multicolored light emerging. Spells. I was close, _very_ close. I tightened the grip on my wand and began walking. My heart was now pounding against my chest, begging to be released. My breath quickened in time with my heart's racing beats. I could feel a tremble working its way up my body but restrained it from taking over. I needed to remain calm — on the outside at least.

I reached the turn and almost ran back from where I'd come. There, with their backs turned to me, was a line of Death Eaters. I put my hand over my mouth to cover the sound of my breathing as I leaned my shoulder against the left wall. They didn't seem to notice my presence, focused only ahead of them. I tried peaking over their heads, but all I could see was the tall ceiling that told me that the next room was the center of the volcano. The spells were shooting everywhere, colors and sparks of all colors shooting up in the air. If I didn't know better, I'd think the Death Eaters were all watching a fireworks show.

I had to think of a way to get past the Death Eaters quickly. I had never seen Harry duel anyone other than me before and that wasn't saying much. Who knows what he looked like right now? Was he hurt, unconscious, still putting up a hell of a fight? Then, an idea came to me. It was simple, but at least it would allow me to see over the Death Eater's heads. I aimed my wand at my shoes and whispered "_Wingardium Leviosa_."

I felt myself rise into the air and had to fight to keep myself balanced. I ended up putting one arm on the wall to steady myself. When I was at a good height, I lifted my wand and looked ahead. I saw Harry and Voldemort in a duel all right, but not like any duel I had imagined. Not only were there colors of spells flying around them, but they seemed to be bouncing off of an invisible dome that only Harry and Voldemort were in. All around the outer rim of the dome were Death Eaters, either staring straight ahead at the battle or whispering amongst themselves.

"How long has it been now?" I heard a male Death Eater ask below me.

"About a half an hour at least," The one next to him answered in a higher tone.

"You would think the Dark Lord would let us all have a piece of him." The male grumbled.

"No." The female hissed. "The Dark Lord must be the one to defeat Harry Potter, no one else."

"Yeah, of course," The male said very grumpily. "How do you think he even got in? The defenses on this place are impossible to surpass."

"The oaf Dumbledore, most likely."

"Do you think he's here?" The male asked with a slight tremble to his voice.

"Who, Dumbledore? Nah, he and his little Order are probably all cozy at home. He knows that Potter is the one that the Dark Lord wants. Why suffer any casualties when there only has to be one?" The female sounded so sure of herself.

"Hm." The male agreed. "Potter better hurry and give up soon. It's not as if he stands a chance of winning. The sooner he dies the better."

I ground my teeth and aimed my wand at the male's head. The way they were talking about Harry, as if he were just a piece of trash that needed to be disposed of. The curse slipped out before I could control myself. "_Stupefy!_"

The male collapsed into a heap on the floor. His female companion let out a noise of surprise and looked back at me. I saw her raise her wand, but quickly shouted another _Stupefy_ at her and she landed on top of her partner. The Death Eaters around them all turned to look at the disturbance at the same time and my eyes widened. I hadn't thought about the rest of them. As quickly as I could, I pointed my wand at my shoes and said the counter curse. I dropped to the floor and had to steady myself on my arms. The Death Eaters were all looking at me with hungry glares and I hurried to my feet, trying to come up with a plan. But I had none. I had acted without thinking and this is where it had led me. A group of about twenty formed in front of the entrance, blocking my view of the battle.

They all began to move toward me and I raised my wand, pointing it at each of them in turn. No spells powerful enough to hit them all were coming to mind. I heard one let out a chuckle and I pointed my wand in that direction and shot another stunner. It hit the target and I smirked. But my happy reprieve was short lived. The Death Eaters all began to raise their wands and I mentally cursed. If I had played the role of innocent bystander maybe they would go easy on me. Then I remembered the Death Eater that had broken into my house and discarded the thought. These were killers and would shoot me down without a second thought.

"Let's just kill her before she disturbs the duel." A deep voice from the back of the group said.

"Yeah, she wouldn't dare attack all of us."

"Look, she's shaking!"

"Go on, McNair!"

I gulped. The Death Eater named McNair raised his wand and I kept my wand raised at him shakily. I couldn't stand up to him, not with my limited knowledge. It was only when I thought that did I feel it — Harry's words echoing in my mind.

"_You'll be ready only when you allow yourself to be. It's all in your head. If you think you're ready, you will be. If you want to rely on the amount of spells you know in comparison to others, you'll be vulnerable. When the time comes, it will come to you_."

I steadied my wand arm and shouted, "_Stupefy!_"

It caught him off guard and he tumbled to the ground.

"Well, well, looks like she wants to play. Go on; let's teach the brat a lesson."

A slew of curses came at me and I cast a _Protego_ around myself, the curses bouncing off. It didn't hold for long and one curse sliced across my right shoulder. I cried out and shot another stunner toward the crowd of Death Eaters now set on destroying me. I managed to dodge a few more curses and shoot a few of my own before a purple curse hit me in the chest. I was knocked off my feet and felt a horrible pain in my lower stomach as I hit the ground. I coughed and saw blood spatter on the floor. I pointed my wand again and shouted a stronger curse at the crowd, but I knew it was a moot attempt. I was badly injured. My moment of brave attack was now over and I was as good as dead.

Another curse hit me and I saw stars. My vision began to blur and I curled up on the ground, wanting more than anything to pass quickly. My only regret was that I couldn't be of more help to Harry. Harry…

An all too familiar voice shouted from behind the crowd. "_STOP!_"

I opened my eyes a slit and saw a slightly shorter Death Eater move to the front of the crowd. A bulky Death Eater rounded on him as he came to a halt a few feet from me. "What is the meaning of this, Draco?"

"This is Granger, you twats!" he answered, bending over me and removing his mask. Sure enough, I saw the familiar face of Draco Malfoy looking over me.

"Who?"

"Harry Potter's Mudblood fiancé, the one we _weren't_ supposed to kill!" He said in exasperation. He pulled out his wand and began to mumble a few spells that I couldn't distinguish. But whatever they were removed some of the pain from my body. If I didn't hate Draco with all of my being, I would have thanked him.

"You sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! Who's the one who spent nearly a year in the Muggle filth's world with her?" He said coolly.

That shut up the bulky Death Eater. I felt Draco put and arm around me a hoist me up. I wanted to shake him off, kick him at least, but whatever that purple curse was stopped me. I could walk and feel still, but any strength I had was gone. It was as if any muscles I had initially were now decreased in function by about ninety or so percent.

"What the hell is she doing here?" A female voice asked.

"Beats me. But we should be glad she did. I think the Dark Lord just got the leverage he was waiting for." Draco said slyly.

I mustered up enough strength to spit at him. He recoiled and I smirked. Unfortunately, without his arm around me, I didn't have the strength to keep myself up. I fell and collided with the wall. I began to slide down when a Death Eater grabbed me by the scruff of my coat and hoisted me up. Another came to his aid and together, they both led me into the center of the volcano.

I could see the battle much more clearly now. Both Harry and Voldemort were circling the other and shooting off spells, both verbal and not, at each other. They each had multiple injuries, but Harry looked to be worse. He had bleeding cuts all over his face and his sweater was torn in many random places where bloody skin was showing. Voldemort, on the other hand, was limping and had a single gash on his cheek. It was then that I got my first look at the man who had been after Harry for all his life. His face was unlike anything I had ever imagined. Instead of a nose, he had two slits like a snake and his skin was whiter than a skull. But the most distinguishing feature was his blood red eyes. He was not the man I had imagined, but a terrifying creature bent on murder.

The Death Eaters on the other side of the room began to take notice of my entrance and began talking in animated voices. I was being led to the right side of the cave where they had yet to notice me. When we arrived, though, it became clear that I was among the group of Death Eaters and when we stopped, one stepped out of line and pulled off its hood. Long black hair tumbled out and a gaunt-like face was looking straight at me with cold, lifeless, eyes. She stepped a few feet closer and I caught the stench of blood on her robes. I recoiled as she looked over at the crowd surrounding me.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Draco stepped forward and she looked at him scornfully. He spoke evenly. "This is Hermione, Aunt."

"The Mudblood?" She asked.

Draco nodded and a sickly smile spread on her face. "Oh, the Dark Lord will be most pleased."

"Um, he's a bit occupied, though, isn't he?" Someone commented from my left.

The woman waved her hand. "Not for very much longer. Dolohov, would you break the barriers?"

"But Bellatrix—"

"Now."

The Death Eater called Dolohov obeyed and waved his wand in a complicated motion. "_Explico Contego!_"

There was a bright blue light and the shield then became visible as it seemed to melt onto the floor. Bellatrix nodded to a few Death Eaters on her right and they moved forward towards Harry. I struggled against my captors but their grip only tightened. Voldemort saw the Death Eaters approaching and lowered his wand just before they grabbed Harry with a viselike grip and dragged him away.

"YOU COWARD! COME ON, FIGHT!" Harry shouted, fighting against the robed figures holding him.

Voldemort looked around the room, ignoring Harry's protests. "What is the meaning of this?"

Bellatrix stepped forward and spoke in a quiet voice. "My Lord, we have captured the Mudblood."

Voldemort's eyes flittered over to me and I shivered. His mouth curled and he turned over to Harry, who had not heard Bellatrix nor seen me. "It seems, my dear boy, that you have lured company into our midst."

"That's a lie!" Harry said forcefully. "I came alone."

"Indeed you did." Voldemort said. "But that does not mean you were not followed."

Harry looked at him oddly and Voldemort made a motion with his hand over to where I was. "Bring her forth."

The Death Eaters began to drag me toward where the dome used to be. The Death Eater on my left blocked me from Harry's view but I knew that he must at least have a hint that it was me here. I began to struggle once more against their grip, not wanting to be close to the creature who called himself Voldemort. They halted and Voldemort smiled menacingly.

"Turn her around," He instructed. "So our dear Mr. Potter can see who he has put into danger now."

I felt myself being turned around and bowed my head. Only when we stopped turning did I look up. My eyes met Harry's and he paled. He began to twist and turn in his captor's grip and let out a shout so agonizing I was brought to tears.

"NO, HERMIONE! NO!"

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update but I've been very very busy these last few weeks. This is the second to last chapter of the story and I knew I had to get it done sooner rather than later. It's sad to have this story come to an end but I have to admit I'm looking forward to a break. There MAY be an epilouge, I'm not sure yet. If I do write one, it will most likely be based off of the Jessica's Guide online ending, although I still have yet to read that. I get the gist, though, lol. A special thanks to all those who have been reading and reviewing and to my lovely beta, Vincent! You guys are awesome and are a huge part of my inspiration to keep on writing :) Oh, and for those who are curious, I have the soundtrack to this fic pretty much finished and I will be working on the score when I find the time this week.**

**-Shar**


	20. 100 Suns

Hermione's Guide to Newfound Sorcery

**100 Suns**

"_I believe in nothing  
Not the end and not the start  
I believe in nothing  
Not the earth and not the stars  
I believe in nothing  
Not the day and not the dark  
I believe in nothing  
But the beating of our hearts_

_I believe in nothing  
One hundred suns until we part  
I believe in nothing  
Not in sin and not in God  
I believe in nothing  
Not in peace and not in war  
I believe in nothing  
But the truth and who we are_"  
- 30 Seconds to Mars (100 Suns)

My body was limp, my pulse was racing, my vision was spinning — Hermione was here. She was here when I specifically told Remus to keep her safe. If this was his definition of safe, there must be a full moon outside. My screams radiated around the volcano, loud and bloodcurdling. Hermione's gaze left mine and I saw tears begin to flood her cheeks. There was a single slash through her left shoulder and blood was slowly pouring out of it. She had put up a fight to get to me but all it had done was get her into the clutches of the Death Eaters. I should be grateful, but not after what she had put me through. Not while I still loved her.

"Oh you foolish girl, I think you've just broken him." Voldemort said with a sneer that showed everything but remorse.

I looked straight at him. "Go to hell. Hermione shouldn't be punished. It's me you want, not her!"

"On the contrary," he said, walking over towards Hermione. "I want her very much."

He stopped a few inches away from her and shooed away one of the Death Eaters holding her up. The other took hold of her vacant arm and locked them both behind her back, forcing her to look up and into the lifeless eyes of my enemy. Her bottom lip was trembling.

"Such a pretty face," He said softly, "For a Mudblood." He held out a hand to touch her cheek and I exploded.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!"

He turned back to me and smirked. Then, as I fought helplessly against the two Death Eaters holding me, he traced a single line down her pale cheek. My stomach cured onto itself in disgust. Hermione looked repulsed as he pulled away. Then, she did something I didn't expect. She spat at him.

He remained motionless but his face showed an expression of revulsion. Before anyone could react, he sent a curse at Hermione that made her double over in pain and cry out. I made another go of escaping as I shouted his name "RIDDLE!"

Whoever was holding me back must have been a tank because I barely moved an inch. My shout still got his attention, though. He was looking at me through narrowed eyes. "Looks like your Mudblood got bile all over my robes, Potter."

"It's nothing more than you deserve, Riddle."

He recoiled at the use of his given name. "Be careful what you say, Potter, or she won't live to see the next sunrise."

I clamped my mouth shut, although it pained me to give him the satisfaction. It was all for Hermione. All for the unrequited feelings I had for her to keep her safe.

"Better." He said. "Now, we can get to business."

He turned back to Hermione and she craned her head to meet his gaze. I knew she wouldn't dare try anything rebellious again. She looked too weak to stand let alone consider inflicting more damage to herself.

"Hermione, is it?" He asked.

She was silent.

He gave a look of annoyance and raised his wand. She closed her eyes as the curse hit her, slicing a hole through her side. She bit her lip in pain and I nearly buckled over, almost sharing the blow.

"Now let me you ask this again. Your name is Hermione Granger, yes?"

She spoke through clenched teeth. "Yes."

"Good." He said approvingly. "Now tell me, Miss Granger, what is your relation to Mr. Potter over there?" He made a motion to me.

"It seems to me that you already know damn well what it is."

He made a slight motion with his wand and she let out another noise of pain. I couldn't tell what damage he had inflicted on her but I knew it was nothing to be taken lightly. She was putting up a strong fight. For me. I couldn't let her suffer any more knowing it was my fault.

"Hermione, please." I said weakly.

She looked over at me with intense eyes. "No, Harry, I will not conform to this snake."

"Tut, tut, Miss Granger." He said mockingly.

"You can kill me for all I care!" She said loudly. "Harry is more of a man than you'll ever be and when he defeats you—"

"_Hermione_—" I tried to interrupt.

She ignored me. "You will be nothing but dust and your so-called followers will be forced into lifelong imprisonment and death all because you chose to target an innocent boy and mark him. It doesn't matter if I die — I'm just a Muggleborn who was bonded with Harry out of pure fear. Kill me! Go on, get it over with!"

Voldemort's face twisted. "Well. It seems as though you do not grasp the seriousness of this situation. Oh, I will kill you, yes. But not before I get the one thing that fate has brought you here for."

"And who says I will do anything you say?"

He smiled and walked away from her. It took me a moment to realize that he was making a path for me. Hermione's eyes widened. I saw the wand pointed at me and braced myself for the torturing pain that encompassed me. "_Crucio!_"

Every muscle in my body began to convulse with pain. Fire spread through my veins. My bones ached with sudden heavy punctures. Everything began to darken around me as I felt the effects of the torture curse work its way into my being and grasp my sanity. I couldn't make out my surroundings as I tried to twist my limbs and rid myself of the pain. The Death Eaters still maintained their viselike grip on me as I flailed about. I could hear someone screaming, their loud noises muffled as if a glass covering separated them from me. It was only when the pain vanished did I realize it was not only me, but Hermione as well.

"STOP, STOP, PLEASE! I'LL TALK, I'LL TALK! PLEASE JUST DON'T HURT HARRY! _PLEASE!_"

I was as limp as a bag of bones. My vision was fading in and out of focus, though my glasses were still perched precariously atop my nose. Voldemort began walking back over to Hermione, his steps echoing loudly against my sensitive ears.

"Are you now willing to cooperate?"

She inhaled a large amount of breath. "Yes."

"Good. Now, tell me what your relation to Mr. Potter is."

"I… I'm his fiancée."

"And how did you become this way?"

"By magic. A spell cast over sixteen years ago."

"I see. And this bond was also aimed at the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Yes."

He paused, looking as if he was getting overly excited about something. "Excellent. Now, Miss Granger, would you mind reciting a few phrases for me."

She gritted her teeth. I wanted to tell her to say no, to refuse him and let me die. But my throat was dry and sore from the curse. "Not at all."

He held out his hand and a piece of rolled up parchment appeared into his clutches. He unfolded it and skimmed it over before reading it aloud. "I, Hermione Jane Granger."

"I, Hermione Jane Granger." She repeated shakily.

"Do hereby relent."

"Do hereby relent."

"The _Magus Antecedo Connexio_ bond."

"The _Magus Antecedo Connexio_ bond."

"At the command of Tom Marvolo Riddle and his followers."

"NO! HERMIONE DON'T!" I screamed, finally finding my voice. His plan became abundantly clear. He wanted Hermione to verbally give up the bond to save my life, making him stronger. "Not for me. _Please_."

She looked over at me, her eyes brimming with tears. "I have to. _Especially_ for you. I love you, Harry."

I could feel my face contort to one of complete stupor. She loved me? "No…"

She nodded her head. "Always." Turning back to Voldemort, she uttered the last phrase before I could stop her. "At the command of Tom Marvolo Riddle and his followers."

Usually with the transference of magic, one would expect sparks or dancing colors or _anything_ that signifies that it had taken place. This transference, however, had none of those. It didn't seem to bother Voldemort, though, because he chuckled to himself and turned to the crowd of Death Eaters and motioned for them to back up. They complied without hesitation and he turned over to face me with a curt nod. At once, the death grip left me and I collapsed onto the ground. I tried to move but my legs felt like jelly and all over my body screamed with tiredness.

There was a silence and I felt I had to fill it. If the only thing I had any control over now was my mouth, I sure as hell was going to use it.

"What do you want with our bond? You really think that's what you need to kill me?"

"Of course not. I could kill you without any additional magic. It's the added protections I had to get rid of."

"Added protections? What are you on about, Riddle?"

He sneered at the use of his name again, but his expression soon turned to one of mild amusement. "Don't tell me you didn't know of the protective spells that come along with bonds, Potter? You of all people should know of them. After all, the magic that saved your life sixteen years ago was spawned off of it."

My blank look was all the answer he needed.

"Oh, you thought I was going after your bond for more power! You silly, silly, boy. I already have all the power in the world. I am the most powerful wizard alive and you thought I was seeking more ways to dispose of you? As if you were a sort of threat to me?"

"I _am_ a threat to you." I spat. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be so hard-pressed to kill me."

"You are nothing but a nuisance that must be disposed of."

"Then do it. Kill me."

His lip curled. "With pleasure."

He raised his wand and I made a grab for mine when I realized that I had dropped it on the floor earlier when the two Death Eaters grabbed me. I looked over at Hermione, who had grief-stricken look on her face as she struggled with her captor. I made a move to summon my wand but it was too late. Voldemort was too fast. His wand locked on me and he shouted the curse that had ended my parents and so many other's lives.

"_AVADA KEDAVARA!_"

"HARRY!_ NO!_"

Everything happened so fast. The Death Eaters were all watching with such intensity that they didn't notice Hermione step on her captor's foot and make at a sprint towards me. Just as she was reaching me, a hand outstretched, the deathly green spell stopped in midair, almost as if time itself had frozen. Everyone in the room stilled, even Hermione, whose hand remained extended towards me. Voldemort had a dumbstruck look on his face as he looked between me and Hermione, making flailing movements with his wand arm, trying to move the green spot. But it just stayed put.

"Impossible!" He shouted.

I took advantage of the silent shock of the room to wandlessly summon my wand. It landed in my hand within seconds and I pointed at the frozen curse, going out on a whim. "_Expelliarmus!_"

My spell hit the curse and they collided in a large white explosion that was as bright as the sun. I felt a body press up against mine and knew it was Hermione, finally reaching me. I wrapped an arm around her and cast a protective charm around us. Through the opaque shield I could see chaos. Death Eaters were running around, colliding with each other and yelling at the top of their lungs. Red goo was seeping through cracks in the volcano's floor. _Lava_, I reasoned. But the thing that caught my attention the most was the heap on the floor being circled by a handful of robed Death Eaters. Voldemort's dead body.

I didn't have any time to rejoice. The ground was beginning to shake and I knew that we had to get out of here quickly if we valued our lives. Within minutes this room would be filled with scorching lava and anyone left in it would be burned alive. I removed the protective charm from around me and Hermione and grasped her hand with mine. We both began to run to the nearest exit at a sprint, passing any Death Eaters with ease. There were a few who aimed spells at us, but we both easily blocked them with _Protego_ charms and had the advantage of being running targets. The exit came to us quickly but it was not without trouble.

A figure I knew all too well came running from our left, blocking the exit. Bellatrix Lestrange looked even more hysterical than usual, her hair all in disarray, her eyes wide with feral rage, and wet streaks clearly visible on her pale skin were lining her cheeks. The death of her master seemed to have taken away all the sanity she had left.

"If he is to die, so are you." She said in a low growl. "I must finish what the Dark Lord started. Yes. He would be most pleased with me."

"You don't want to do this, Bellatrix." I said.

"DO NOT TELL ME WHAT TO THINK HALF-BLOOD!" She screamed. "You and the rest of your kind are not worthy enough to breathe."

"You must be overjoyed at Voldemort's death, then."

"HOW DARE YOU!" She screamed "_AVA_—"

"_Stupefy!_" Hermione cut her off. The spell hit Bellatrix square in the chest and she fell backwards into the exit.

"Nice shot." I said admiringly, looking at her.

"Thanks." She replied, smiling tiredly. "Now come on, we have to get out of here!"

"Agreed."

Our hands still firmly grasped in the others, we continued our run past the exit, not bothering to watch out for Bellatrix's unconscious body. I think I heard a few bones crack as I stepped on her hand. I didn't pay too much mind to it, though. If it was me who had used the spell against her, I wouldn't have been as kind as Hermione.

We made our way through the twisted corridors. The entire volcano was shaking now, rocks falling from the ceiling and pieces of the wall crumbling to nothing. Making another left down a particularly long corridor, we saw light at the end of the hall. We both picked up our pace to reach it but a particularly powerful rumble stopped us in our tracks. We had to press ourselves against a wall to stay balanced. Our brief pause was not brief enough, for just as the rumble subdued, the exit was covered up by a collapsing bunch of rocks.

"Damnit." I cursed. We would have to retrace our steps very carefully. And by the feel of that last tremor, we had to do it fast.

"Come on." I said as I tugged her arm back to where we came.

We reached another long passageway and saw a light at the end of it. We turned to look at each other and nodded, silently communicating what we were going to do. We broke out into a dead sprint, not wanting to lose the opportunity to get out of the erupting volcano. After we cleared the exit, we kept running, not bothering to look back. I finally paused at the shoreline and Hermione had to dig her feet into the ground in order not to send the two of us tumbling over.

"Why… did… we… stop?" She asked, very much out of breath.

"Because," I said, looking around the perimeter of the shore. "We can't possibly make it across the lake in time."

"So we're… just going… to _stay here_?" She asked, her hand now clutching what I assumed to be a stitch in her side.

"Don't be silly." I said. Pulling out my wand, I pointed it in the general direction I remembered leaving it.

"What—"

"_Accio Firebolt!_"

I head a flying noise in the distance and smiled. Looking back at Hermione, I saw she had an aghast look on her face. "You can't be serious." She said breathily.

"Of course I'm serious." I said. "It's the only way we can get off the island quickly enough. Unless you feel like sprinting a mile of ice?"

She didn't respond. A few seconds later, I reached out my hand and my beloved Firebolt glided into it. I heard Hermione groan as I mounted it, motioning for her to join me. "But why do we have to _fly_?"

Another tremor shook the island and I planted my feet firmly on the ground as I looked up. At the tip of the volcano, lava was beginning to pour out. It was only a matter of moments before this entire island would be covered. Turning my gaze back on Hermione, I saw her face had gone white as she stared at the peak of the volcano.

"On second thought, flying sounds wonderful."

She ran over and mounted the Firebolt behind me. Her arms circled my waist and as soon as I felt them tighten, I kicked off from the sand. We soared up into the air and I heard Hermione let out a squeak. As much as I wanted to comfort her and apologize, I knew we didn't have the time. I had to focus on keeping us alive first. She buried her head into my shoulder, letting out shaky breaths onto my skin. I had to hold back the urge to shudder.

I heard rather than felt the volcano tremor again and knew that it was close to gone now. I selfishly hoped that everyone in there was dead. The icy wind was torture against my skin, feeling like a thousand knives stabbing me all over my body. But still I pressed on. I picked up the speed on the Firebolt and within two minutes of agonizing pain, I could see the shoreline of the apparition point clearly. Hermione was shivering ferociously and I could feel my own set coming on, threatening my steady hold on the broom. It took most of my will power and what little strength I had left to control myself.

I began to tilt the broom down as we hovered over the shoreline. As soon as my feet touched the ground, I let the shivers overwhelm me. Hermione still clung to my back as if glued there. We were so close. All that I needed to do now was apparate the two of us out of this godforsaken place.

"Hermione," I called gently. "You can let go now."

"C-can't." She replied. "T-t-too cold."

"I know." I said. "But if you let go and get off the broom, we can apparate to somewhere warm."

I felt her nod her head against my back. Her arms pulled back slowly and we both dismounted the broom. I clutched it in my left hand and held out my right for her to grab onto. She grasped it tightly and pressed herself into me. I squeezed her and looked ahead to what looked to be a mountain on fire. The volcano was now a sea of red lava and smoke and I watched with sick fascination up until the moment I apparated Hermione and I into darkness.

The tug of apparition still got to me and I held down the nausea as I adjusted both Hermione and I atop the steps of Number 12, Grimmauld Place. The weather outside was still cold and my hand felt like it weighed a hundred pounds as I lifted it to let us inside. The door swung open and we both trudged in, not even caring if we made a mess on the floor with our soaked shoes. I kicked the door shut behind us, minding Hermione still pressed against me, and it closed with a _bang_. The warmth of the house felt wonderful on my skin, but it didn't help the shivers still ever-present in my nerves.

"We're back…" I said weakly. "Hermione."

"Mm." She mumbled.

The sound of footfalls shook the house and within seconds, I saw Sirius in the entryway with a grin on his face. "Harry! Hermione! I knew it was you, I just _knew_ it. MOONY, DUMBLEDORE, MOLLY, EVEYONE! IT'S THEM, THEY'RE BACK! I TOLD YOU!"

"So tired…" Hermione said, her weight pressing harder against my side.

"I know." I answered.

"So weak…"

"Yeah."

"So… dark…"

"What?"

And just like that, Hermione became slack, no longer holding herself up. I swooped to pick her back up, my hands grabbing her side and holding her as best as I could against me. "Hermione," I called as I turned her face to look at me. Her eyes were sealed shut and she didn't appear to have heard me. "No… Hermione please wake up. _Hermione!_"

"What is it?" Sirius asked worriedly, rushing over to us.

"Hermione… she… she's not responding…." I said numbly. "Come _on_ Hermione, don't do this to me! Wake up!"

"Let me take her." Sirius said. I looked at him warningly, feeling very protective of her and not wanting to let go. "I'll take her over by the fire. Warm her up. You can barely stand, Harry, you might drop her. I'll call Poppy right away, alright?"

I nodded, knowing it was the smart thing to do. I could already feel my legs getting wobbly. Sirius took Hermione gently from my grasp and hooked his arm around her knees to cradle her against his chest. She looked so frail in his arms. I felt my stomach churn and my eyes water at the sight of her. I followed him into the parlor where he laid her down on the sofa. I pulled up a chair next to her while Sirius made a fire and flooed Poppy Pomfrey, the Hogwarts nurse and trusted healer of the Order.

I brushed some hair away from Hermione's still face as I heard many more people enter the room, all saying words of thanks and prayers. Molly was the first to approach me. She seemed unaware of Hermione on the couch as she bent down to give me a bone crushing hug. I returned her embrace halfheartedly, my mind not entirely on her affections. I could sense that she knew something was wrong because when she pulled away, a question was beginning to form on her lips. My eyes returning back to the comatose girl on the couch said it all.

"Oh my heavens! What happened to her?" She asked worriedly, bending down to examine her.

"I don't know." I said softly. "One minute she was here and the next… she collapsed."

"Oh dear." She said. "Have you—"

"Sirius is contacting Poppy now." I interrupted.

She nodded and got up, walking on the other side of the couch. The next person to approach me was Remus. Instead of hugging me right away, he knew after Molly's discovery that now was not the time for celebration. He said nothing, only putting an arm on my shoulder as he looked forlornly at Hermione. Sirius's voice broke the silence.

"She'll be here in a moment."

I nodded numbly and felt Remus's hand leave me. "Harry, do you think you can come to the kitchen?"

"I'm not leaving her." I said simply.

"Harry—"

"No. I've left her behind once. I'm not going to make that mistake again."

Silence followed my answer. No one dared speak another word. I took one of Hermione's cool hands in mine and squeezed, hoping beyond hope that she could feel me still with her. All the others looked on with silent, knowing looks. The crackling of floo flames a few moments later broke the thickening tension in the air. We all turned our heads and saw Poppy Pomfrey step out of the fireplace.

"Where is she?" She asked.

We all looked back over at the couch and she bustled over. She looked between Hermione and I and I predicted what she was about to say. "Mr. Potter, I must ask you to please leave me to see to my patient."

"No." I said simply.

"If you do not, then I will physically remove you myself. I cannot perform the necessary precautions with anyone else in the room, especially one attached to said patient."

"But—"

"_Now_, Mr. Potter."

I sighed and removed my hand from Hermione's. I bent down and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. "Please be alright. For me."

I felt Remus's hand back on my shoulder and allowed him to help me up. He led me, along with the rest of the crowd gathered in the parlor, to the kitchen. We all took a seat at the long table and I knotted my hands together atop the surface. Sirius and Remus took the seats on either side of me and for the first time since I arrived, I saw Dumbledore as he sat down in the chair across from me. I knew he was going to ask questions that I was obligated to answer. I owed him that much and more. But even so, right now I didn't feel much like talking.

"How did it end?" The old wizard asked. Every ear in the room perked at his first inquiry. It was the answer everyone wanted to hear.

"He's dead."

There was a collective intake of breath. A few smiles broke out, some wide some small. Whispers were exchanged. Voldemort was gone, defeated by the Boy-Who-Lived. It was a time of celebration. Fireworks should be going off — parties planned. Everyone would be happy and free again. Except me. The one person who should be the most relieved was too busy worrying over the comatose state of his fiancée in the next room. Only when she was alright again could I even think about celebrating. It would all be worth it if she made it out alive — _when_ she made it out alive. It was all I could do to put on a fake smile for the others even though they knew it wasn't genuine.

"I think it's best," Dumbledore said, causing the room to go silent once more. "That you all floo your families. Tell them that Voldemort is dead and Harry is alive and well with his friends and family."

They all knew it was Dumbledore's polite way of asking them to leave so he and I could talk. They all complied earnestly, of course. Molly was the first out the door, probably going upstairs to contact Arthur at work and send letters to her children. Remus was out after her, going to find Tonks who was probably asleep upstairs. That left me, Sirius, and Dumbledore.

"Sirius," Dumbledore said. "Floo Xenophilius Lovegood, would you? I think the Quibbler would be most excited to be the first to print the defeat of Voldemort."

"Yeah, sure." Sirius said, exiting the room with a meaningful look cast my way.

And then there were two. Dumbledore looked at me through his half-moon spectacles as if it was the first time we were meeting. His curious gaze made me squirm in my seat. "Tell me, Harry. How do you feel?"

"Horrible, actually."

He chuckled. "It is only natural, I suppose. Killing someone can take a toll on ones psyche."

"No." I said. "Not about that. I don't feel any remorse for killing him. It… it's Hermione."

"Ah."

"She was fine when we left. Just fine. I didn't… I didn't even ask if she was okay when we were on our way back."

"Surely you do not blame yourself?"

"Of course I do!" I snapped. "She followed me there! If it hadn't been for me, she would still be here!"

"My dear boy, who says she is gone?" He asked knowingly. "I have the fullest confidence that she will pull through and you will get the ending you deserve."

"And what ending is that?"

"A happy one."

I sighed bitterly. "What have I done to deserve a happy ending? I've pushed away the people I love, only to have them still get hurt in the long run. I endangered the lives of the entire Wizarding World just because of my scar. I—"

"That is _exactly_ why you deserve a happy ending, Harry." He said with a smile. "You, more than anyone else, deserve to live a long and happy life with the people you love. It is not our past that makes us who we are, but how we resolve it to pave the way for the future. Your resolution has saved so many lives; it is unfair that you should think you deserve anything other than peace and happiness for the rest of your days."

"Then why do I feel so miserable?"

He didn't answer my question; instead, he changed the subject. "Tell me, Harry, how did our dear friend Mr. Riddle meet his end?"

"He…" I paused, trying to remember what exactly did happen. "He made Hermione give up our bond by reciting something off of a piece of parchment. It… it wasn't so he could use our bond for himself. He wanted to lift some sort of protection that was around Hermione and I."

"Of course." Dumbledore said wistfully. "It was foolish of me to not see past his selfish ways. What happened after that?"

"He tortured me in order to get Hermione to speak. I told her not to, but she felt her life was more worthless than mine. So she did. Afterwards, he tried to _Avada_ me… but… Hermione escaped from the person holding her and she lifted her hand towards me and the curse… it stopped."

"Stopped?" Dumbledore seemed genuinely shocked at this.

"It froze in midair, like time had been frozen in that one spot. I shot a spell at it, trying to take advantage of the pause, and the spell exploded in white light."

"_Fascinating_." Dumbledore said breathily.

I looked into his bright blue eyes. "Do you know what caused that, Professor?"

He pressed his lips together. "I have some theories. Firstly, though, can you tell me if you saw anything transpire when Miss Granger verbally revoked your bond? Any traces of spellwork?"

I recalled the plainness of the moment, how I had been expecting something to happen but nothing ever did. "No. Nothing."

"Curious."

"Sir?"

"It seems to me that Hermione did not give up your bond, because, if I am correct, you had no bond to give up."

"What do you mean? I didn't think anyone lifted the bond between us and that's why I had to go to London to find and protect Hermione in the first place."

"Oh there was indeed a bond between the two of you. But, it seems, that it had been revoked before you went to confront Voldemort."

"How is that possible?" I asked.

"Indeed." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye. "Tell me, Harry, did you and Miss Granger partake in any questionable activities during your stay with the Grangers?"

"Pardon?" I asked.

He cleared his through. "Intercourse."

I blanched. "What… what… n-no! No, of course not. Why would you say…?" He raised an eyebrow at me. I felt color swim into my cheeks as I mumbled a distinct "Yes, sir."

He nodded. "It is as I thought. It seems to me that you and Miss Granger are married in the eyes of magic."

I stiffened. "W-what?"

"Yes, the bond that you and she had placed on you also transforms into a marriage bond when the couple chooses to consummate their relations. Back when the bond was used, the wedding was only for show and the real effects took place in the marriage bed. At which point the bond becomes stronger and becomes a form of love magic which you are familiar with."

I gulped down a large amount of air. "And you didn't tell us any of this before why?"

"We didn't deem it necessary to do so. None of us imagined that you would… well, I suppose you can fill in the blanks."

"Oh God…" I said, burying my head in my hands. I lifted my face only just to speak. "So you're telling me that the coma-ridden girl in the other room is not my fiancée but my _wife_?"

"Precisely." Dumbledore said, looking, if I wasn't mistaken, _smug_.

"Hermione is my wife…" I muttered to myself. "My wife is comatose and on the brink of death…"

"I would not say that, Harry. I believe she will be just fine."

"And how can you say that? She _collapsed_!" I yelled. "Oh Merlin…"

"Harry, my boy, do not fret over her. She is a strong witch. You should have confidence that she will pull through."

"I'm trying." I said. "It's just so damn hard when I saw her on the couch looking so… so pale."

"I understand. But have faith. You will have your happy ending, Harry. You will."

I was about to tell him where he could shove his "happy ending" when there was a small knock on the door. Dumbledore said for them to come in and Poppy Pomfrey poked through. The sight of her face caused a well of emotions to pass through me. I waited for her to speak with bated breath. She looked over at me.

"Come with me, Mr. Potter."

I turned back to Dumbledore for a moment and he simply smiled at me. I made myself get up and went out the door to follow the matron into the other room. The few seconds it took to reach the room were agonizing. Why couldn't she have just _told_ me if Hermione was alright or not?

We entered the room and I saw that it looked unchanged. I could only see the back of the couch and the chair I had set next to it moved a few feet to the left. I looked back at Poppy in confusion, but she just motioned for me to continue walking. I did, but my steps were cautious ones. I did not know what awaited me on the other side. I did not want to think it was a lifeless body… oh, please let it not be that…

What awaited me on the other side was the most beautifully tragic picture I had ever seen. Her body was covered in a thick wool blanket that was pulled up to her neck. Her face was pale except for the slightly pink tinge to her cheeks and nose. But the most distinguishing feature was her eyes. Beautiful chocolate brown and fixed on me.

"Hello, Harry."

"_Hermione_. Thank Merlin."

I collapsed onto my knees and hugged her upper body to my chest. I could feel her smile where her lips met my hair. I pulled away after a moment and framed her face with my palms, not believing she was real. But she was. And she was smiling at me.

"She had some internal bleeding from a series of particularly nasty curses." I heard Poppy say behind us. "It's a good thing you called me when you did. A few more minutes and she would have been… yes. Well, I'll leave you two alone, then."

"Thank you, Madame Pomfrey." I said, looking at her with a grin.

She returned my smile. "You're very welcome, Mr. Potter."

And with that, she exited. I turned back to Hermione and caressed her face with my thumbs. She leaned into my touch. "I thought you were gone." I said softly.

"So did I." She replied. "That matron of yours knows how to do her job."

I felt a prickling behind my eyes. "Yeah."

"Oh Harry, don't cry."

I removed my hands from her face and viciously wiped at my eyes. "I'm not."

She giggled. "It's not a crime, you know."

"I know it's just… I'm so happy that you're alive and _here_."

"Well I couldn't very well leave my hero fiancé all by himself, could I?" She asked teasingly.

I bit my lip. "Actually, I have something to tell you about that."

She raised an eyebrow.

I pulled the chair I had been using previously and dragged it over to sit on. I then told her everything Dumbledore had relayed to me. The spell, the bond, the marriage, everything. Her eyes became wide and she adjusted her place on the couch. "You're telling me that we're married?"

"Yes."

"And I stopped the curse with the help of our marriage-love-bond-thing?"

"Yes."

"Wow."

I nodded.

She looked over at me curiously. "We're not like other couples, are we?"

I chuckled. "No." Then, something occurred to me. Something I had put in the back of my mind since our escape from the volcano. "Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"About what you said in the volcano… did you mean it?"

"Which part?"

"The part about you loving me."

A smile spread on her lips and her face brightened with color. "Every word. I love you, Harry."

"Then why did you tell me that nothing could ever happen between us?" I asked, remembering her words from earlier that day. My God had it really been earlier today?

She bowed her head, looking shameful. "I thought you and Kat were together. I saw her kiss you in the hall."

"What?" I asked. "Hermione, I would never get together with Kat, especially after what happened yesterday."

Her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink. "I should have known. Instead I only assumed what I saw to be the worst possible conclusion and pushed you away. If it hadn't been for my ignorance, we wouldn't have been in the volcano and running for our lives."

"If it hadn't been for you coming back for me, I would be dead." I told her sincerely. She looked up and met my eyes. "It doesn't do well to dwell in the past."

"So you forgive me for breaking your heart?"

"No."

Her face slackened and she nodded stiffly. "I suppose I d—"

"But I still love you all the same." I cut her off.

She looked back at me with wide eyes. "You do?"

I nodded, smiling softly. "Hermione, I nearly just lost you. I thought my world was falling apart. I couldn't even allow myself to feel relief that Voldemort was gone. The only thing on my mind was you and if you'd be alright… and how I'd never forgive myself if you died."

"But I didn't."

"No, you didn't." I agreed. "And now I'm so thankful to have you here with me that I can look past everything that we have put each other through. I love you, Hermione, and I doubt that I will ever stop. You've made me whole, something I didn't think anyone could do."

She smiled, her eyes watering. "I love you, too. So, _so_ much."

A tear ran down her cheek and I bent down to kiss it away. Pulling back a fraction, I leaned down further to give her a chaste kiss on the lips. But the taste of her made me want to be anything but chaste. The kiss soon turned heated and when she pulled back, I wanted to shout in protest. She placed a finger on my lips, though, and moved her hand to the hem of the blanket, pulling it up and inviting me inside the covers. I complied with her request and snuggled inside. Placing my hands at her waist, I pulled our bodies together and reattached our lips, kissing her more fully than before. She wrapped her hands around my neck and held tight, embracing me. My tongue traced the hem of her lips and she opened for me, letting me back inside the wonder of her taste that I had missed so dearly.

She loved me. I loved her. All was right in the world.

Dumbledore was right; I did get my happy ending. It was Hermione.

I pulled back and she looked at me through hooded eyes. "Thank you."

She looked confused. "For what?"

"For giving me something worth living for."

**A/N: And so it ends. I'm sorry it took so long to update but both my schedual and my beta's got mixed and it resulted in, well, this. I still don't know if there will be an Epilouge or not. I think I will wait a week and if I can think of a plot, I'll post one, if not, I'll mark the story as "Complete" on Sunday and call it a day. The soundtrack and score, for those who are interested, will be available sometime this weekend so check my website and my Tumblr for the links. Thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing this story! It has been one hell of a ride and I just want to express how amazing it has been, mostly because of you guys pushing me to go on. Also, thank you to my beta Vincent. Without him, this story wouldn't be nearly as neat or pretty. Seriously, he's my savior. As for now, I'll say goodbye. I love you all :)**

**-Shar**


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